


When the Demon attacked Village of the Hidden Leaf

by Kakashisith



Category: Mononoke-hime | Princess Mononoke, Naruto
Genre: Curses, Demons, F/M, Falling In Love, Gods, M/M, Snakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-10-15 02:19:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 21,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10548390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kakashisith/pseuds/Kakashisith
Summary: It was an ordinary day in the life of new ANBU member Hatake Kakashi, but it changed forever when a Demon attacked the village.I don`t know how this one comes out, but I`ll give it a try. Don`t like it, don`t read it!I just like both Naruto and Mononoke-hime, so my muse bite me... first I didn`t wanna hear her, but let`s see, what comes out.Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu -one of Kakashi`s Jutsus, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique





	1. The rampaging Demon-god

It was a sunny day close to the Village of the Hidden Leaf, but something was wrong in the forest. Something evil and very bitter was in this forest. As it walked, the grass, some trees and every small plant it touched shriveled up, burned down...died.   
The evil didn`t care, that it was killing everything around himself. He wanted to destroy, to kill... He wanted everything to die, just like his own forest was dying...  
It needed to kill humans. It had been the humans, that had turned him writhing, horrible piece of hate and unbearable pain. It`s goal now was to destroy the humans in the village he was getting closer and closer, destroy them or turn them into what he was.   
What he was, was total Hate. He was living definition of Hatred.

In the same time, in the same forest were two teen-aged people walking around. The young silver-haired boy had a scar over his one eye, he tried to cover it with a black mask. The girl`s face was lit up by the sun that passed through the trees and greenery all around them, revealing the girl`s beauty. She hugged the boy, the boy smiled and kissed her forehead. The girl had brown hair, touching her shoulders and brown eyes, purple marks on her cheeks. She wore a black shirt and light, almost white skirt. The boy was dressed all in black, and had some armor around his body. Since their friend, Obito Uchiha got killed by an accident, the duo held more together than before.  
Minato Namikaze, their Sensei and Hokage of the village had told them to patrol the forest. He`d been hearing rumors about strange happenings nearby. Kakashi couldn`t shake the feeling, that this day something was very wrong... They hadn`t heard any animals or birds, and they hadn`t seen any either. Where did they all vanish? Why? Usually they saw several squirrels, some of which came so close that they could touch them, and heard hundreds of birds singing. But that day the forest was dead silent. It was unnerving.  
"Something`s wrong," whispered Kakashi Hatake, looking around. Rin, the girl, nodded her head.   
Rin held up her hand to block the sun as they passed by the walls that made up the border between the Village of the Hidden Leaf and the forest.   
"Kakashi! Rin!"  
Kakashi turned towards to the source of noise. Now he saw Maito Gai, and his two friends Asuma and Kurenai, racing towards them.   
"Was there anybody at the border?" asked Asuma.  
"No," said Rin, standing next to Kakashi, "there never is, but the forest is weird..."  
"Well, it`s rather be safe than sorry, right?" Kurenai pointed out.  
"I suppose so," Kakashi sighed, tilting his head back and putting an arm around Rin. "Let`s go back to the Village, it`s time to return!"  
The three new-comers nodded and then all five teen-agers set off across the grassy field. After a few minutes of walking they passed a tall watchtower, a roof covering the top to protect the watcher of the day from the hot sun.   
Kakashi leaned against one of the wooden posts, calling up to the top. "Jiraya?"  
An older man peered over the railing of the watchtower, looking down at the youngsters. "Kakashi? Did you see anything at the border?"  
"No! There was nothing!" Kakashi pushed his head-protector up, revealing a Sharingan-eye.  
"Are you sure, kids?"  
"Yes, I`m sure. Why?" Kakashi asked, frowning slightly.   
Jiraya didn`t answer first, but then he yelled. "The mountains are strange. Just hurry back to the Village, will you?"  
"We will!" Kurenai yelled up to Jiraya. "Kakashi, Rin, let`s go!" She pulled Kakashi`s hand, who looked like he wanted to go up and there and demand to know what was wrong with the forest all that day.   
Rin seized the boy by his arm and begun to gently pull him along, until she was sure that Kakashi wouldn`t try and ask an answer from Jiraya. Jiraya was one of three legendary Sannins, everyone respected and liked him.  
When they were a little distance away from the watchtower, but still had it in their view, Rin was the first to speak up. "The forest did seem a bit odd when we were checking it together..."  
Maito Gai nodded in agreement, Asuma gave a "Hmmm," in thought. Kakashi Hatake opened his mouth and was about to say something,when he was cut off...  
"Kakashi! Rin! Friends!"  
Kakashi`s face instantly become emotionless, when he heard Iruka`s voice. Rin gave him a quick side-glance, before turning her attention to Iruka.   
"Iruka!" she yelled, raising her hand in greeting.  
"Good, that I found you,"Iruka commented, "the Hokage says that everyone must return to the Village immediately!"  
"Jiraya said so too,"commented Kurenai.  
"Jiraya?" Iruka`s eyes found Kakashi,"what did he say, Kakashi?"  
"He said, that the mountains were strange,"Kakashi replied, though he wasn`t looking at Iruka. He felt, like something...or someone dangerous was closing in... He was looking back, eyes narrowed, as if he was trying to see what was wrong with the big forest.   
"And we couldn`s see or hear any animals by our way back to the border..."  
"Alright!" Iruka turned around. "I`ll go and ask Jiraya, what`s wrong."  
"Kakashi, come on, let`s go!"Rin murmured, nudging her friend gently. Kakashi didn`t respond, but he gave a small nod and turned around.   
The rest of the way back was dead-silent. Kakashi kept glancing around, one hand holding a kunai tightly and the other hand switching between holding the tilt of his sword and touching the tip of it.   
Rin kept looking over at Kakashi with a faintly worried expression. Gai, Asuma and Kurenai tried several times to start a conversation, but it always fell flat, so the silence went on...  
Kakashi stayed more and more behind... he stopped walking, eyes narrowed quickly... Something`s there...   
He looked over at his shoulder to his friends. "Can you four keep walking? I`ll stay here, you go to the Village!"  
Gai, Kurenai and Asuma nodded in agreement, though they looked a lot worried, while Rin cast one last sad look in Kakashi`s direction, while she continued moving.   
Kakashi stayed where he was, keeping one hand on his sword and the kunai in his other hand.   
Silence in the forest. Nothing could be wrong...just this silence.  
But suddenly...  
Kakashi let out a gasp, when suddenly brown hair and khaki-colored clothes darted out of the forest. It was Iruka and he was trying to get away from something, running as fast as he could.  
Then the trees around a part of the forest`s edge turned rotting-brown and came up, dying instantly. What the Hell was this? Then, some kind of a creature, looking more like a mass of blood-red tentacles with a pair of red glowing lights for eyes, burst forward from the forest with a weird sound. It crawled out of the forest on it`s four or six tentacle-like legs, chasing after Iruka. Kakashi made no sound, only his eyes widened again.  
It`s a Demon!  
*Move, Kakashi! Move!* Kakashi was ordering his paralyzed body to wake up.  
The monster started slowing before it came to a complete stop. It was looking around, turned to the left, then to the right... and of course, it saw Kakashi. It looked like it jumped in anger or surprise, and then started moving across the ground towards the boy.  
Kakashi grabbed a shuriken and sent it flying towards the Demon. The shuriken sliced through the air, before embedding itself a few feet away from the Demon.   
"Kakashi!" Iruka yelled, taking notice of him. "Out of the way!"   
Kakashi ignored him and started running towards the Village. The Demon seemed to have recovered from it`s shock and had begun to chase after Kakashi. Kakashi glanced over his shoulder, the Demon had no intent on stopping it`s rampage anytime soon. It could attack the Village!   
Slowly, Kakashi raised his hand in a stop-gesture and begun to speak, trying to slow the Demon down, "My Lord of the Forest! Please, leave our Village in peace!"  
Of course, it was totally useless. Kakashi sent another shuriken flying, but missed again.  
"Kakashi, what are you doing?" Iruka yelled, being both angry and proud at him.   
Kakashi ignored him again. Iruka was that kind of person, who didn`t seem to wanna solve any problems. Kakashi, however, tried to settle all the problems he could, with or without fight.   
"Jiraya is wounded," and that was all Iruka had time to say before the Demon let out a scream and started charging off in a different direction. When Kakashi turned and looked at it`s direction he saw with horror, that the monster was now heading directly to Rin and the others, who had frozen in place upon seeing this Demon. Rin`s face turned white with fear and horror.  
"Iruka, you get Rin and the others out of here!" Kakashi Hatake ordered, already running after the Demon. He managed somehow to get in front of the Demon and begun speaking with it again."Go back! Please! Don`t attack our Village!"  
The Demon continued chasing after four youngsters. To make things more bad, Rin tripped over a rock and fell flat into the grass.   
"Get up!" Asuma yelled, two other kids stopped also. Asuma jumped in frost to protect Rin, then he saw Kakashi.  
"Asuma!" Kakashi yelled," out of the way!" when Asuma made clear, that he was not moving until Rin was safe Kakashi saw, that he had no choise.   
Quickly, he made some hand seals. "Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu!" the fireball hit the Demon`s red eye.   
It pierced and burned deeply into the eye, and the Demon stopped, giving Iruka enough time to reach Rin and the others. All run back to the Village of the Hidden Leaf as fast as the could.  
Kakashi stayed behind, watching the Demon retreating into itself, forming a ball of wildly squirming bloody-black tentacles. It smelled like blood, rotting and...death. Suddenly, so fast that Kakashi could barely react, several stalks of the tentacles shot upward, startling Kakashi. All of the tentacles started chasing him, although the Demon didn`t move at all. One long tentacle got Kakashi`s forearm and squeezed so tight, that he screamed in pain.  
Kakashi ripped his arm away from the tentacles, leaving only ten or twelve still clinging around his arm. As soon as he was free, he jumped back and made the hand seals again" Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu!"  
The tentacles fell down, barely moving, Kakashi went slowly back. He found the Demon in it`s true form finally. The stinking tentacles were sliding off the Demon, even out of the injured eye, revealing a gigantic orange-brown boar underneath, three times bigger than it should be. When the last of the tentacles was off, the boar stood still...  
For a moment, there was total silence. Even Kakashi didn`t move himself. Then the boar fell over.  
It was dead...  
Kakashi then felt an intense burning feeling in his arm... the one the Demon had grabbed. He bit his lip under the mask, not to cry from pain. His face contorted in pain as the last of the tentacles melted off his skin, leaving behind a purple trace.   
Kakashi felt almost faint, he fell to the ground on his knees. He could hear the people in the Village yelling, but he couldn`t hear what they were saying.   
He suddenly heard Rin`s voice, whispering to him. "Kakashi, are you alright?"  
Rin managed to get Kakashi off the ground, so he was on his knees, clutching his arm.   
"Don`t touch it, Rin," Kakashi ordered, sounding like he was in pain. Finally Minato came, looking at the scene.   
"Kakashi`s hurt!" Iruka yelled to Minato.   
The boar`s corpse started speaking. His voice was deep, filled with pain, anger and hatred. "You filthy humans... You will suffer as I did..."  
As it spoke the final words, blood started pouring out of it`s mouth, and the skiiiin and muscles melted off... there was only the skeleton and the smell of burning flesh. Kakashi looked at his arm in horror.  
*What have I gotten myself into this time?*


	2. Demon`s curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How bad is the wound on Kakashi`s arm really?  
> What will happen to him now?  
> Inyu Shometsu - Secret Healing Injury Destruction

In the middle of the night, there was a meeting in Hokage`s office.  
Though most of the villagers were sleeping, a few high ANBU members and Minato stayed awake. The air was still and the flame barely flickered. It was steady and bright enough to relieve the darkness of the room, but it was not enough to see everything.  
About ten ANBU members and the Hokage sat against the wooden wall, while Kakashi and the medical woman from the Hidden Village of the Sand sat far away, facing each other.  
Kakashi sat across the medical woman Chiyo, hands on his laps. His injured arm was in new bandages, hiding the damage the Demon had done to him. Kakashi hid his emotions well, not showing any fear, anger or panic, that he actually might feel.  
His eyes were steely, making it appear that he was ready for anything, that was about to come. Chiyo had tried to use several medical ninjutsu`s on Kakashi, like Inyu Shometsu but nothing seemed to help.  
"Well, this is troublesome," Chiyo said, looking around," the Demon came from far to the west to this Village, right? He had a flame of hatred and pain inside him, driving him mad, turning him into a Demon..." she took a deep breath.  
Then she looked up and stared at Kakashi. "Kakashi Hatake?"  
Kakashi straightened. "Yes?"  
"Show us all your wounded arm."  
Something dark flickered in Kakashi`s eyes, but it was gone before anyone could notice it. Silently, he undid his bandages, thrusting out his arm, when they slowly fell off... Encircling Kakashi`s arm was a long black, blood-red mark. It looked like a fire-burn, and it hurt like one, too. Kakashi closed his mismatched eyes for a moment, then opened them again.  
Everyone in the room gasped and stared at the mark, Minato Namikaze took a step forward.  
"What does it mean?" the young Hokage asked the medical woman.  
Chiyo eyed the teen-aged boy and smiled. "Kakashi Hatake, are you prepared to learn what fate the stones have foretold you?"  
Kakashi was silent for a long moment. He was smart enough to know, that there was nothing good coming... But out loud he said "Yes..."  
"The infection will take root in your soul, and spread throughout your entire body. It will cause you great pain and might eventually kill you."  
Kakashi`s teeth clenched as the medical woman said those words. His face tightened under the black mask and he gave a sharp nod.  
Minato spoke again, feeling worried about his student. "Isn`t there any way we could stop it?"  
"Kakashi got that curse by saving our Village!" an ANBU-member said.  
Chiyo couldn`t help but smile at the men`s worry about the teenager. "You cannot escape your fate, young man. No one can... However, you can rise to meet it, if you choose." She reached into her pocket, and brought out a small iron ball. "Take a look. This iron ball was found inside the boar`s skeleton, covered with snake`s poison, right where his heart had been. It shattered his bones and destroyed him from the inside, slowly poisoning him. This is what turned him into a Demon..."  
Kakashi drew back, eyes narrowing. "Who could have possibly created something so evil?"He looked down, clenching his fists. "Why would anyone want to do this?"  
He was interrupted by Chiyo, who was still speaking very calmly. "In western lands...there are rumors about a certain Village, the Snake Village. It`s your fate to go there and see, what you can see, with eyes unclouded by hate. You may even find a way to unlift the Curse. Do you understand?"  
"Yes!" Kakashi gave a sharp nod.  
He looked at the ground and closed his eyes. Everyone in the room had turned their eyes back to him. Then Kakashi turned to the altar. He pulled out his sword and unsheated it. Then he cut a small piece of his silvery hair, placed it to the altar and turned to leave. He nodded to the medical woman and turned around.  
Kakashi left without looking back, confusion in his heart.

Later that night, everyone was sleeping, except ANBU members, the Hokage and Kakashi, of course...Kakashi couldn`t just simply go to bed. He had to leave the Village of the Hidden Leaf.   
He was completely stilled and pulled off his ANBU armor, replacing it with black clothes. He pulled on a black mask and covered his arms (and more importantly, his curse mark) and grabbed his sword. Just in case... It was dark outside. The only notion of brightness came from a full moon, and even her light was a chilled silver beam.  
He had almost left the Village, but then there was a quiet voice...  
"Kakashi!" Rin whispered, running over to her friend. Kakashi Hatake stopped and stared at the girl.  
"Rin! What are you doing here?" Kakashi hissed.  
He didn`t want the girl to see him leaving, but now it was too late.   
"What`s going on, Kakashi? Where are you going?"  
Kakashi glanced around for a moment, then stepped closer to the girl. "Rin, I have to leave," he said, putting a hand on the girl`s shoulder.  
"But why? Is it because of the wound? Is it serious?"  
Kakashi closed his mismatched eyes and sighed deeply. "It`s not just a wound, Rin... it`s a Curse. I have to find out, what caused the boar turn into a Demon."  
Rin`s eyes went wide, before she grabbed Kakashi`s shoulders. "You can`t leave! There has to be a cure..." she looked almost hysterical, tears beginning to build in her beautiful eyes.  
Kakashi looked back to the Village one last time. "I have to go now. I have been banished and i`m as good as dead to the Village anyway..."  
Rin nodded silently, the tears finally spilling to her cheeks. Suddenly she hugged Kakashi, arms around his waist.  
"I love you..."she whispered.  
"You`ll be in my heart always," answered Kakashi, before leaving.   
The nighttime in that place belonged to the owls and coyotes. With only the starlight and waxing moon for light, the blackness was almost complete.   
In the sweet rain-washed darkness the sounds of the night became loud in his ears, even the rustling of the leaves and the whisper of the wind was thunderous. Kakashi swore that in the absolute blackness of that midnight world he could have heard a beetle in the earth, so acute became his hearing.  
The silvery moon illuminated the tenebrous, starless sky as if the stars ensconced themselves behind the dim, gray clouds...


	3. The Demon`s strenght

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi has the Curse. When he gets angry, things happen.  
> In this story, there is no Yakuul, cause Kakashi doesn`t ride on the cute animal.  
> Kakashi meets weird Samurais, who remind him Snakes.
> 
> Shunshin no Jutsu - Body Flicker Technique. This jutsu allows the users to appear and disappear in an instant. This is very useful when trying to escape or attack suddenly. The users often uses nearby elements, like mist, sand or leaves, to mask their disappearance or appearance.  
> Uchiha Shisui, one of the most talented Uchiha, was feared as Shunshin no Shisui (Shisui of the Body Flicker). This is probably a reference to this jutsu.
> 
> Raikiri - Lightning Blade

Kakashi walked for days and days through the thick forest, stopped only to eat.  
The trees were veiled in the lightest of mists, their trunks sombre brown with sable cracks that gnarl the bark. As Kakashi`s eye travelled to the edge of the woodland they become silhouettes against a blanket of white, as if it is only daylight where he stood, as if he was encircled by twilight. He walked through deep valleys, crossed small rivers...  
The woods were always quiet. It never had the owls screeching, or the wolves howling. The place wasn’t even close to what the myths had told the Village people. Yet no one dared to walk through the woods, neither would they speak of it. The birds wouldn’t fly over it, like they could even sense the evil in there.  
It wasn`t more than a week or two after he`d left the Village of the Hidden Leaf, as Kakashi walked on a grassy mountainside, when he spotted a cloud of smoke rising from the distance. He followed a pathway along the mountain, until he reached the place, where the smoke was coming from. It was a simple farming Village, with wide rice fields around it.  
There seemed to be some kind of fight and brutality going on, so Kakashi slowed down. Armored men were running around, carrying different weapons and yelling at each other.  
*Is this a battle?* Kakashi wondered by himself, watching over the spectacle. He turned his head slightly, and was horrified seeing some villagers, mostly women and children screaming in terror as they tried to get away from the Samurais terrorizing them. The attacker`s uniform reminded Kakashi snake or some reptile, it was weird for his eyes. He uncovered his Sharingan-eye, getting nervous.  
*No...it`s a massacre...* His mismatched eyes narrowed as he was a man pulling out his sword, trying to protect himself from attacking Samurai. Kakashi`s eyes widened in anger, as the Samurai carelessly chopped off the man`s arm, still holding onto his spear and hit off his head.  
"Bastards!" Kakashi hissed under his black mask, glaring at the murderers... *How dare they...*his fingers clenched around his sword.  
"Look, on the hill!!"  
Kakashi`s head turned around, as he heard a man yelling.It appeared, that the Snake-Samurai had finally spotted him. A small group of them had formed at the base of the hill, where Kakashi was standing. "It`s a warrior!"  
"I`ll get a good prize for this!" another Samurai yelled, running with sword high in the air, towards Kakashi Hatake. Kakashi had no other chance...  
"Shunshin no Jutsu " and he seemed to disappear suddenly. Now, invisible, Kakashi spotted a group of villagers running across the pathway ahead of him, being chased by some Samurais. A woman tripped and fell, and while she tried to get on her feet, the Samurai-warrior brought his sword down to hit her. The attacker raised his sword again, ready to kill the woman.  
*Shunshin no Jutsu!* and Kakashi re-appeared right in front of the Snake-Samurai.  
"Stop it!" Kakashi screamed in fury. *How dare they! How dare they...* He raised his sword, pointing at the Snake-man`s throat, when suddenly, the place on his arm where the curse-mark was, begun pulse furiously, almost like the tentacles have come back... It hurt. Kakashi bit his lips... in his surprise, he made an attack with un-natural speed and hit the Samurai, cutting off both his hands. The armless man gasped at the sight of his arms detached from his body, while the woman luckily managed to run away.  
Kakashi ran past the Samurai, knocking him on the ground.  
He clutched his right arm, watching in horror as it continued to squirm furiously, as if it had a mind of it`s own... He bit his lip again, working hard to force back a scream of panic that was beginning to build inside his mind.  
*My arm!* the mark of the Curse was burning like hell, almost as much as it had been, when he got first touched by the Demon-god. *What the hell?*  
He turned his head to the right, and spotted two swordsmen chasing him from across the rice field.  
"Bastards!" he yelled at them, making fast hand-seals. "Raikiri !"he run to the surprised Samurai, hitting through it`s body. The Samurai`s stopped attacking Kakashi, valuing their own lives too much to go on.  
Kakashi ran off, quickly disappearing into the nearby forest.  
A Samurai looked at where Kakashi had disappeared, and whispered, "a Demon..."

Meanwhile, Kakashi run into the thick forest as far as he possibly could.He felt almost completely drained and chakra was running low, he needed some rest. He found a small forest waterfall, tumbling over large rocks before forming into a small river.  
A curtain of white water came over the grey rocks as if it were being poured from a giant bucket that never emptied.  
Kakashi moved his arm underneath the waterfall, watching as the water washed over it.  
After a moment, he pulled the arm out and checked the Curse-marks. *It`s getting bigger...*  
*Could it be because I attacked those men?* he couldn`t remember ever before feeling the anger that he`d felt, when he saw the massacre. Even, when Obito died, he only felt grief...  
Kakashi just sat and thought... It started to rain.  
There was an intense anxiety to the rain, as if between the tumbling cloud and the earth it is fearful of never reaching its destination. Each droplet alighted on his pale skin with just enough coolness too command his mind to the present, to pull him away from the pain of the past and the uncertainty of what was to come. The clouds grew darker and darker. The bone-chilling cold seemed unbearable in the howling wind and icy rain. The sound of thunder rolled through the area as another lightning bolt split the sky.  
The downpour of rain drowned out every noise and thought, turning the rocks into a matrix of waterfalls, white-water cascading...  
Kakashi thought of the Curse... It seemed to grow whenever he felt anger or hatred.*Which makes sense,* he thought, propping up his chin to his fist.* It was the hatred and pain of the Boar God, that turned him into a Demon...*  
But he also thought about the massacre and the two men he had killed... *Those men had families... people who cared about them...they were just tools...*  
After taking a nap in the forest, Kakahi walked forward, leaving the massacre behind.  
The quilt would remain, however...  
Kakashi knew he had to be careful, he didn`t want to have more blood on his hands. Even if it hadn`t been exactly his fault- it was the strength of the Demon mark, that had killed them, after all- but if he just hadn`t had gotten so angry, the strength wouldn`t have been unleashed. But it wouldn`t happen again. He woould make sure of it...


	4. The weird man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi meets a weird man on his journey...

A few miles away Kakashi noticed another, bigger Village full of people- and where there were people, there was food of course!  
Kakashi was already getting hungry... After making sure, that he had enough gold to pay, he slowly entered the Village.  
Nearly nineteen years of life had given Kakashi a long amount of time to learn how to ignore people`s stares, to the stares of fifty-sixty strangers wasn`t nearly enough to bother him.  
He could feel their gazes burning into the back of his neck as he approached the rice vendor, and calmly requested a bag of rice. Without a word, but with a glance at the crowd of people that had formed a circle around Kakashi, the woman did what Kakashi asked and scooped enough rice to fill his silken bag.  
When the woman finished, Kakashi placed a small nugget of gold into her hand without a word.  
The rice seller looked at the nugget, her expression became a scowl. "What is this? That`s no money! Gimme back my rice!"  
Kakashi glared back at the woman. He wasn`t in a mood to be trifled with at that moment. He tried to remain calm, cause the Curse-mark was starting to hurt again... "I assure you, this is more than enough to pay for that rice. Now, if you`ll excuse me..."  
He turned, almost going to leave, when the woman grabbed his wrist.  
"Give me back my rice, you little thief!" the woman yelled.  
Kakashi`s Sharingan started to blaze, he opened his mouth, ready to fire back a retort, when a short and fat man, in red and white clothes came into the middle of the crowd.  
"Wait, wait," he said, "let`s not get rude. Let me take a look..."  
"Fine,"the woman sighed, releasing Kakashi`s wrist and giving the gold to the fat man. Kakashi eyed the stranger, paying no attention to the woman`s glares. He covered his Sharingan-eye again.  
The stranger inspected the nugget for a moment, before his eyes grew wide."You stupid woman! This is a sizable gold nugget!" He exclaimed, smirking at the rice seller, who`s eyes widened. "This is more than enough to pay for the rice you gave the young man."  
The stranger nodded toward Kakashi, who just stood there.  
"However," the man continued, "if you really don`t want to keep the gold, I`ll be happy to pay for the rice and take this back."Kakashi resisted from rolling his eyes, at least the one, that wasn`t covered. He silently left the crowd, starting to leave the Village.  
The stranger, noticing his disappearance, turned to follow him. "Wait a minute! Where are you going?"  
The rice seller instantly reached out and grabbed the stranger`s wrist,clawing at his hand to get the gold." It`s mine!"  
A minute later, Kakashi had left the Village, enjoying the silence. However, the stranger in red and white had somehow managed to catch up to him, despite his age and started walking next to him.  
"You can`t leave now! We just met." He explained,"there is no need to thank me, by the way..."  
"I had everything under control," Kakashi said flatly, uncovering his Sharingan-eye again.  
The stranger blinked for a moment, looking at the eye. "A Sharingan.... I see. There were quite a few Samurai in that Village, you know. And a few of them probably remember you..." Seeing Kakashi glancing down at him with suddenly narrowed eyes, the stranger continued. "I saw, what you did to them. You know, you fight like a Demon, young man. Like something possessed. It`s amazing...I wouldn`t want to be your enemy!"  
Kakashi glanced sideways at the stranger again, before something else caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head and saw three people, two men and one woman, following them with long spears.  
"Well, I see you`ve finally noticed we`re being followed, huh? That`s the price of being different and wealthy in these days..."the stranger grinned up at Kakashi. "Shall we run?"  
They both started to run, leaving the bandits behind fastly.

The two stopped for the night and the stranger started to boil rice. While he was doing this, Kakashi told him about the Demon, but leaving some facts for himself.  
"So...the Demon turned out to be a Boar God," the stranger said, sounding like he was talking to himself.  
"Yes. I followed it`s trail through the mountains. But when I reached the Village, I lost it," Kakashi felt somewhat disappointed.  
"Well, that`s life, boy." He looked around. They were sitting next to a graveyard. Gravestones lined the eerie graveyard, Some recently placed, whereas others, cracked and crumbling. Mould covered the engravings dedicated to the dead, trees leaning towards the stones, branches reaching out to each other. Spiked, black fences surrounded the graveyard almost like it was a prison. The smell of old stone filled the dry air, weeds covering the graves of the dead, loved ones long since stopped visiting. Gravel paths weave through the maze of graves, allowing passers by to pay their respects to the people lined up in the earths embrace. It seemed, like this place had been a Village before something gruel happened to them.  
"See our surroundings? The last time I came here, this was a lovely Village..."the stranger said, "but then, something must have happened. A landslide, or fire or even a massacre like the one you saw... The only sure thing is, that everybody who lived here, died here." the old man sighed. "These days, angry ghosts are all around us..."  
Kakashi regarded the stranger before looking at the ground again. "I never should have gotten into that fight," he said angrily. "I killed two men."  
"True, but you saved many people as well, myself included," the stranger mentioned. He gave Kakashi some rice. "Besides, they were just Snake-Samurai thugs. "  
Kakashi begun to eat in silence, listening the man.  
"You know, you remind me a man I used to know... Sakumo...Hatake? If I remember right?"  
Kakashi straightened, his eyes narrowed and his posture become tense. *He knew my father? How?*  
The stranger continued, seemingly not noticing Kakashi`s sudden behavior. "He was so fast, that they called him White Fang or something similar...Anyway, you don`t have to worry about me." he smiled." I`m not going to tell anyone, that you`re his son."  
After eyeing the man for a minute, Kakashi reached for his silken pouch and pulled out the small iron ball, that had been inside the Demon`s body. "Have you ever seen anything like this before?" he reached over and showed the thing to the stranger, who quietly inspected it.  
A second passed, then the man looked up and said with cool voice. "Never have."  
"It came from the Demon`s body,"explained Kakashi," it shattered his bones, rotted his flesh and turned him into the Demon..."  
The stranger made a quiet voice, before handling the iron ball back to Kakashi. "You know, deep inside the forest is a place, where the Forest Spirit lives. Very dangerous to humans. Almost no-one who enters this place, ever comes out."  
Kakashi`s eyes widened. "Forest Spirit?" he asked.*Maybe this Spirit can save me from the Curse?* he thought.  
The stranger nodded. "I`ve heard, that animals who live there, are all giants, just like they were during the Ages of Forest."  
Kakashi continued his meal, him and the stranger finished eating in silence. As soon, as the sun come out from behind the mountains, Kakashi quietly stood and walked off, not even looking back at the still-sleeping man.  
For the moment, when Kakashi disappeared into the morning fog, the man opened his eyes. "I knew, you`ll leave..."


	5. The Sannin and the Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you see, in my version, there is no Lady Eboshi, but instead her is Orochimaru.  
> Let`s see, where he fits in.  
> Also, now we see San for the first time.
> 
> Sen'eijashu - Hidden Shadow Snake Hand.
> 
> Futon: Daitoppa - Wind Release: Great Breakthrough

The cold wind and rain beat relentlessly against the white Wolf pelt the brown-haired girl wore over her body, as she and her brothers raced across the mountains rocky, barren terrain.  
Her fingers were clamped tightly over her Wolf-brother`s fur as they run past the remains of charred trees that had long since died, jumping over the fallen ones. The mountain path grew wide where the soil was soft and then narrow in the rocky passes. There were times it was barely there at all, no more than a mild disturbance in the dirt. At the speed they were going, the rain felt like dozens of needles hitting her arms, the wind was as cold as ice.  
Her grip tightened on her blazing obsidian knife as the Wolves run closer and closer to the train of humans and oxen slowly moving the mountain path- like they had the damn right to be there! They and their snake-like leader had been the ones, who had killed the forest around here, and now they acted like this place belonged to them. The trees stood ghost-like, the silent observer of the snowy mountains, the river and the clouds. The only thing bigger than range of granite peaks was the midnight sky, dotted with silver and as vast as any eye could wander.  
And now they were attempting to get through her forest, just so they could reach their Snake-Village and destroy her home.  
Not like she had anything to say about that...  
Through the large eye-holes of her demonic-looking mask she could just make out that man... She could hear him commanding the men, telling them to shoot her brothers. She didn`t care, neither did her brothers. The trio continued to run, getting closer and closer and so close to that pale man that she could smell him...  
*I`m going to get you!*  
Before she could hear him yell at his guards to fire. With loud bangs that always rang on her ears no matter how used she got by hearing them, iron balls and green mist came flying towards the Wolves. Expecting this, the moment she heard bullets being fired, she drew her arm out and pointed to the right with her knife, telling her brothers to turn right. Not scared by this first attack, the Wolves continued running, still heading towards the oxen and men. Her elder brother let out a low growl, while the girl got ready to attack the pale man.  
"Sen'eijashu!"  
The snakes made the Wolves to pull back, away from the revenge, away from that pale, snake-eyed man. The snakes were just suddenly everywhere, it was like a magic-trick or something...But it was alright. She knew, that Mother would be here soon, and she would finally be able to kill the intruders.

A tall man, with pale skin and black long hair stood underneath a violet umbrella. It was Orochimaru, the Snake-Sannin. Orochimaru shrugged, then tilted his head back so his black hair flew around his pale face and swallowed the Kusanagi.  
His guardsman, Ibiki, smirked, as he watched the Wolves run away. "That was it? They aren`t so tough..."  
"Those were the pups. Wait, til you see their mother." Orochimaru looked pretty worried. His yellow eyes moved around the landscape, looking for something.  
All of the men stood still, waiting for their leader to tell them that it was safe, so they could move on. Orochimaru smiled and chuckled. *I can feel you...*  
Then, like out from nowhere, a gigantic white female Wolf, about three times bigger then the young ones, with two tails came running towards the oxen and people.  
"It`s Moro!" Orochimaru hissed, snapping a cartridge into an advantaged gun, lightning it and making some hand-seals, not taking his yellow eyes off the Wolf.  
The snakes were crawling around Orochimaru`s feet, hissing. Moro leaped out destroyed forest and over the rocks and landed on the pathway, growling. She sank her diamond-white teeth into an ox, crushing and injuring several men under her gigantic body as well as knocking some over the cliff. With a loud snarl, that sounded like thunder, Moro tore down the pathway towards the snake-eyed man, knocking over oxen and men, sending some flying into the deep, misty abyss, along with rice and piles of wood.  
Orochimaru hoisted the heavy gun over his shoulder, while his snakes stood ready to attack, he aimed at Moro, with no trace of fear in his pale face. "Come on..."  
He sneered, challenging the Wolf with his evil gaze, smirking. Moro leaped towards the man, teeth bared...  
Now Orochimaru had clear attack without anything on his way. "Futon: Daitoppa!" What began as some high winds and a smattering of rain has built into the worst storm in a generation. The wind didn't howl, it screamed.  
The trees did not sway, they creaked, bent and moaned as their fine limbs were ripped away and their autumnal leaves became not confetti, but ammunition in the gale.  
With a blaze of red light and green smoke that illuminated his face, Orochimaru fired his gun, sending the poisoned bullet right towards Moro. It pierced her white chest, drawing blood, but Moro seemed to be able to ignore it and rushed forward.  
She might have been killed Orochimaru, if there weren`t the snakes, who attacked her. The Wolf let out a loud snarl of pain, before taking a wrong step to the side. Hew paw flipped and she lost her balance, tumbled over the side off the cliff into the emptiness below.  
The Snake-Samurais leaved over the side, laughing"Did you see that? We got her!"  
Orochimaru almost sighed at men`s ignorance, before leaning over the rocky cliff as well. "She`s a God, not just some beast. She won`t die from something like that..."  
Ibiki looked around. "Look at the chaos she did..."  
"Get everyone reassembled! We`re moving out!" Orochimaru said, moving away from the cliffs. He was angry.  
"What about the men who fell?"  
"They`re dead. Let`s get the living people home." that was all, Orochimaru had to say...

Meanwhile, Kakashi had put on his ANBU mask, he took with him, just in case. He had a strange feeling, that he`ll need it. He walked through the forest at the bottom of the cliff, unaware of the battle that had taken place above him.   
Though, he had heard the rifles being fired and Jutsus yelled, and was wondering what was going on as he left the forest, appearing to the sunlight as the rain stopped. Kakashi noticed a rushing river, it`s water was red-brown.   
*Blood...* thought Kakashi, stepping slowly closer. As an ANBU member, he wasn`t afraid on dead or injured people and blood.  
He saw a dead ox floating down the river with a package tied to it`s back, followed by a wooden box and then a human body. Kakashi stopped, not knowing, what to do.  
He repressed a shudder at the sight of the body, then he spotted another, lodged between some rocks in the river, half-submerged in the water. This wasn`t good at all...  
Kakashi knew, he had to help or check the men out, so he crouched down to the living man carefully. He placed his hand over the man`s mouth, checking for his breath, and was relieved that the man wasn`t dead.   
*He is still alive. But what happened to him?* When he was pulling the man out of the river, he saw third man in the water, also unconscious. Somehow Kakashi managed to pull both men out of the water and sat down for a minute, to catch some breath.  
Then he saw something across from where he was hiding, what seemed to be like a mass of white fur. Then, a big silvery-white wolf came out from the woods and approached the furry mass, nudging it cautiously with his nose.  
After some minutes, another big wolf came out. But this wolf was carrying a female rider. Kakashi watched in silent amazement, as the mass of fur got slowly on it`s feet, revealing the fact that it was the most beautiful white gigantic wolf Kakashi had ever seen. Kakashi couldn`t help but notice a large bloody wound on the giant`s white chest.  
*A Wolf God!* Kakashi thought.


	6. The Wolves and the forest`s secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi happens to see Moro and San, the Wolf-princess.  
> While trying to help the injured men, he goes into the strange forest.

San`s Mother had been hurt. A human bullet was deep within her chest, near her heart. She could sense it.  
She had seen the way the bullets had hit Nago, the Boar God. Only from a distance, though. Mother had forbidden her and her brothers to get closer to the war and the Snake-man. It was between the boars and the humans. That was, what she had said...  
And they needed to stay hidden, and stay out of sight.  
She slipped off her oldest brother, completely silent and rushed to Moro. A patch of her shining white fur was smeared with blood. Her jaw clenched at the sight of her mother`s injury.  
*This man will pay for this...* Without thinking twice, she knotted her fingers in her fur and took her blood in her mouth. It filled San`s mouth, stained her skin. Then she spat it out- the red and black liquid was washed away by the river.  
Then she did it again. She didn`t notice Kakashi, until Moro begun to growl.

Kakashi gripped the tree as he tried to look closer at the girl and the Wolf Gods. The girl`s face was buried deep in the neck of the biggest Wolf, she was trying to help her. Kakashi`s eyes widened as he saw the girl sucking the blood from the Wolf`s wound, before turning her head and spitting it into the river. The girl had short, dark hair and the thing Kakashi thought was a cloak, turned to be white fur. On top of it was big, scary mask. When the girl spat the blood third time, the Wolf made a loud growl and looked right at Kakashi`s direction. Kakashi could see the pain in Wolf`s eyes.  
*She smells me...*thought the boy.  
The girl turned around her mouth covered with blood and Kakashi had to bite back a gasp at the sight. But now Kakashi had a full view of the strange girl. She certainly didn`t look like any other girl Kakashi had seen in the Village of the Hidden Leaf.  
She was completely different from Kurenai or even Rin. Her hair were darker than Rin`s. She seemed to be around Kakashi`s age, her skin was light brown, darker than Kakashi`s paleness. Kakashi could see something shining that was hanging around her neck.  
The girl was reaching something with her right hand, not taking her eyes off of Kakashi.  
Realizing, that he was caught and not wanting to get into a fight, Kakashi put his sword on the ground, climbed on top of the dead tree and pushed his ANBU mask up. "My name is Kakashi. I came here from the Village of the Hidden Leaf. Do you know, where the Forest God is?"  
If nothing else, then San felt slightly stunned by the boy`s declaration. Was the boy crazy or didn`t he knew, what is fear? She had been expecting a stupid person from a town to begin screaming by seeing her and her family, but this young man was different.  
But instead of fear, she had found herself staring at a young pale-skinned boy, wearing completely black, as he looked at her without a trace of fear.  
A breeze flew by. San smelled his scent, the mixture of rain and grass-but something else as well, something that smelled almost evil. Something Demon-like...  
She knew Mother had sensed it too, as her snarl grew louder.  
She felt her glare slowly relax, until it became mixture of curiosity and hostility. The young man was a human after all, and no human was ever innocent. The boy didn`t look like a treat or something, but the smell of evil...  
Moro had finally gotten to her paws, and started to go into the deep forest again.  
"Wait!" the young man called after them.  
San looked at the pale boy one last time, her mouth still stained with Moro`s blood.  
"Go away," she said with cold tone, before her brother disappeared and she followed him.  
Moro led them to the lake of the Forest Spirit, where the water was somewhat magical. It didn`t cure any aliments but it numbed the pain of any if it was drunk. In the center of the lake was the Isle of the Forest Spirit. Sacred grounds to that all of the creatures in the forest, which San and her family revered. The large Wolf God took a long drink, within moments the sharp pain in her chest dulled to minimal ache.  
Watching her Mother going through such great pain, ignited the fires of hatred for the Snake-man even more than before.  
*I will kill that woman...tonight.* San decreed to herself as the four of them retreated from the water and made their way to the den.  
When they reached the den Moro laid on top, as she usually did and rested.  
"You will be okay, right mother?" San asked as she jumped off her brother and approached Moro`s side.  
"I now carry a poison bullet within my chest. I will not flee as Nago did... I will save my strength and kill that man before death comes and takes me." Moro replied, her heart stuck on vengeance.  
"No mother. I will kill him for what he did to you, tonight."San announced and got the attention of her Wolf brothers as they raised their heads from resting state, ears swiveled forward to the conversation.  
"Do as you must, San," Moro said, feeling proud of her human daughter.

The river had a strength that is reflected in the trees. It flew on with confidence, taking the form of the river bed, billions of drops moving together. The community of trees stands tall, trunks reaching into the blue above, light filtering through leaves like perfect stained glass. Kakashi watched, as the girl and the Wolf Gods disappeared, the second smaller Wolf dragging a dead ox with him.  
The former ANBU member stared after the Wolves for a moment, when he heard the injured man screaming.  
He sighed. *What now?*  
As he walked back to the injured men, he saw the second man he`d rescued trying to back away from something, dragging his broken leg and attempting not to touch anything with his arm.  
Kakashi checked the thing man was trying to escape from and as he spotted it, a smile ran across his face and he nearly burst out laughing.  
It was a small white-green creature, with vaguely humanoid form. It wasn`t moving or attempting to make any movements towards the man, yet he was still screaming like it was a Wolf Kakashi had just seen.  
"A Kodama! I never thought I will see them here..." Kakashi mentioned, still smiling.  
Kakashi approached the injured man, who was still very scared. "Calm down," he put his ANBU mask on again. "You`ll make your wounds worse, when you move too much."  
The man gaped at him, as if he was wondering why Kakashi isn`t also screaming and scared. Kakashi had seen them close to the Hidden Village of the Leaf before the Demon came and his life changed.  
The Kodama turned it`s small head, making a rattle and something like a clicking noise. The man screamed louder, pale with fear.  
"He`s a tree spirit! It`s a good thing he is here. It means, the forest isn`t spoiled...yet."explained Kakashi.  
"But they bring their lord and master right to us!" the man was looking around, as if he expected to be attacked at any moment.  
"What do you mean? The Wolves I saw?"  
"No! No! I mean.... the real monster... this enormous Deer creature...during the day he has human form and..."while the man was speaking, the Kodama disappeared into the air, which made the man even more scared.  
"It vanished!" he looked up to Kakashi and almost jumped, if he wasn`t injured badly. There was another Kodama with cone-shaped head, sitting on Kakashi`s shoulder. Kakashi couldn`t hold back the chuckle as the man began to yell for help and being doomed.  
"We don`t have to panic," Kakashi smiled getting back to his feet and saw more Kodamas appearing. "I`m sorry. Would you show us the way through your forest?"


	7. Kakashi and the Forbidden Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi goes through the Forbidden Forest and finally meets the troublemaker, one of the legendary Sannins, Orochimaru.  
> About Kodamas : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodama_(spirit)

Kakashi and the two injured men hadn`t even gotten close to being half finished with their journey, but Kakashi was already regretting his kindness.  
"You say you wanna go through the Forbidden Forest, then you`re asking help from those...things!" whined one man.  
Kakashi`s eyes narrowed in annoyance." Look, I just want to help you..."  
The man seemed to think, then looked up at Kakashi again."You sound like Orochimaru..."  
"Whoever this Orochimaru-person is, he`s very smart,"commented Kakashi. He was well aware,that the Kodamas were around them and the man was in huge pain.  
"Mangetsu."  
"What?" Kakashi looked at the man.  
"My name is Mangetsu..."he still looked at the Kodamas, but wasn`t screaming anymore. Kakashi now first time looked at him companion, who wasn`t much older than himself. Mangetsu had tanned skin, long grey hair hanging til his shoulders and his eyes seemed to be violet or something similar.  
"Hatake Kakashi."Without another word, he returned to bandage Mangetsu`s injuries.  
It wasn`t that Kakashi wanted the men to die. It was just that Mangetsu didn`t stop mumbling about Kodamas leading them to certain death and the man he was trying to carry was too heavy for him. Had he not been so busy helping those men, Kakashi would have taken time to enjoy the beautiful, even magical forest around them. In the forest the sky vanished almost completely, only a few fragments of blue remain- like scattered pieces of an impossible jigsaw puzzle. The air was rich with the fragrance of leaves and loam, damp too. Even so many hours after the rains have passed, the soil remained wet, slowly releasing its heady fog. Outside was the noon daylight, the powerful rays of early summer, but in here everything is cool and the colors had the softness of that time just before twilight. The only movement was the occasional bird, startling in a tree or a squirrel dashing up a nearby trunk.  
"Uhh...sir?"  
"Yes, Mangetsu?"  
"You remember the river back there? There`s a lovely trail..."  
"The current is too strong,"Kakashi interrupted him quickly."and if we don`t get this man to your home, he would die..."  
Kakashi`s eyes flickered towards a Kodama running with a slow pace a foot ahead. The forest was ancient. The trees thick and old, roots that were twisted. It might once have been filled with bird-song and animals that roamed. But now it was ages past its former glory. It's canopy was so dense that you could only see the occasional streak of sunlight that rarely touched the forest floor. Even its thick vines were slowly taking away the last remnants of the temple that stood in the center.  
The moment they had entered the forest, hundreds of the little Spirits had appeared. Just like waiting for something... They had swarmed around Kakashi and the injured men, clicking out of curiosity, and when they moved on, Kakashi had been slightly surprised when the Kodamas followed them. There were more, maybe hundreds of them watching from the tree branches above.  
"Hey, there," Kakashi said to a Kodama nearest to him, taking a breath," are you helping us or getting us lost even more?"  
The Kodama stopped running for a moment, looked back and stopped, before moving again. After some minutes, Kakashi finally reached a small hill and had to stop to catch his breath.  
"Please, Kakashi! You don`t really think that they`re actually helping us to get home, do you? Oh my god, there are thousands of them..."he heard Mangetsu screaming from behind. If Kakashi hadn`t been so exhausted, he would have smiled upon hearing him whimper the last words. Kakashi looked up a little and noticed, that some Kodamas passing them carried another on their backs.  
*If Kodama can do it,*he thought repositioning the man on his back,*then so can I.* So he continued moving deeper into the forest.  
When the tree travelers stopped into a clearing, Kakashi gasped at amazement. They were standing in the middle of a large, beautiful marsh. In the summer light the sawgrass was brilliant. The virescent sedge stretches to the lone trees and beyond, a vast marsh Kakashi hoped never to set foot in again.  
*Beautiful....this place is magical...*Kakashi thought, while staring at the treetops. Then he saw large wolf tracks and small tracks of a girl.  
*The tracks of the Wolf Gods and the girl,*Kakashi was staring at the marks thoughtfully,*this must be where they live.*  
"Kakashi, now sure it`s dangerous," Mangetsu started whining again,"this is the place where Gods and Demons live. It isn`t safe here!"  
"Don`t worry," Kakashi said, kneeling to the water and taking out his bowl to get some fresh water. Then he saw a large footprint, larger than his own head, butterflies around it.  
"A footprint?" Kakashi leaned closer and spotted another in the water. *Still fresh...whatever made these, made them recently...* He felt like he was being watched...  
After a minute of looking around, he hadn`t seen anything. But then he did...  
Far off, to his right direction, a golden glow of sunlight was streaming through some trees. Kakashi uncovered his Sharingan-eye to see better... A big herd of deer was slowly walking by, making no sound. Kakashi`s eyes widened as the last deer, much bigger then others, appeared. From, what Kakashi could see, the animal had many, many antlers coming out it`s head. This deer didn`t keep walking, like the others did. Instead it stopped,turned his head and looked at Kakashi.  
It`s face was hidden in the shadows, Kakashi saw only the golden glow around deer`s head.  
Kakashi`s mouth under the mask opened in shock, before a sharp gasp of pain escaped. His right arm felt like it was in fire.  
*The curse...* thought Kakashi, biting his lips. He looked down and was scared to see, that the wounded arm was pulsing like it did, when he was near the massacred village.   
"Kakashi, what`s happening?" whined Mangetsu behind him. "Are you alright?"  
Kakashi ignored him and grabbed his right arm with his left arm, trying his best to gain control. Without really thinking, he plunged his arm into the water, hoping the water would extinguish the pain.   
Finally, the Deer-God turned around and disappeared, and the golden glow disappeared with him, leaving behind the dark shadows of the forest. Kakashi let out another sharp gasp, nearly crying in relief as the pain slowly went down...   
*No, it didn`t disappear...* Kakashi realized. The pain was constant, it didn`t go away. It simply dulled, but didn`t disappear.  
"Uh, Kakashi," Mangetsu spoke up nervously,"what just happened? Did you see anything?"  
Kakashi sighed, then turned towards the injured man. "Did you see anything?"  
"Like what?"  
"Forget it..." Kakashi turned around. Mangetsu looked at the other man, who was slowly waking up.  
"Hang on just a little longer,"Kakashi said, while giving them some water,"you`ve done so good so far..."  
Kakashi had noticed something really odd- the moment he and Mangetsu had left the forest, something seemed to have been missing. The warm feeling of being protected or something... and it made Kakashi uneasy.   
And unless it was his imagination, but the injured arm begun to twinge every few minutes...  
He was so deep in his thoughts, that he nearly dropped the man who he was carrying when Mangetsu let out a happy yelp. "Amazing, you were right! We made it through the forest!"


	8. The Snake-town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi is lucky...or unlucky to see the Snake-town and Orochimaru.  
> Mangetsu has also a sister. She has no name yet...

The town or village, that Mangetsu had mentioned, was nothing like Kakashi had expected. He didn`t know, what he was expecting, maybe something like the Village of the Hidden Leaf?  
First thing he noticed, was the amount of snakes roaming everywhere. Kakashi stepped back, he had never liked the serpents anyway. . In that moment of distraction a king cobra rose from the undergrowth before him, spreading his ribs to make his regal hood. From the earthy floor to his head, he stood six feet tall with another twelve disappearing behind him. Other than the cream of his lower jaw that extends a small way down his gullet, he was khaki like a soldier's uniform. The snake's gaze was fixed on Kakashi, a dark tongue flitting into the air every few seconds, tasting the fear, the cologne, the sweat. In that head the size of a hand like thin fangs, ready to inject a fatal amount of venom deep into their muscles.  
"Master`s pets,"commented Mangetsu from behind, "wait when you see Manda..."  
Kakashi`s eyes narrowed from the sight. "It`s unbelievable..."he muttered, mostly to himself.  
But Mangetsu had heard him, because he said,"It`s Orochimaru`s Snake-town. It`s also my home!" He sounded deliriously happy at the sight of this weird town. The exact opposite of Kakashi Hatake.  
"Whatever," he said, moving next to Mangetsu. He begun wordlessly to move closer to a small group of men, carrying bags of rice and vegetables through the gates.  
Mangetsu, upon seeing the men, grinned wider."Hey, I know them!" and he raised his un-injured arm, trying to catch attention. "Hey there! It`s me, Mangetsu!"  
Kakashi looked around hesitantly. In the distance he could see the remnants of a dead forest, the dark trees lining the horizon like foot soldiers ready for battle. There was something sinister...evil all around, Kakashi shrugged his shoulders and felt the pain in his arm again... He couldn`t help but notice they way men looked at him and Mangetsu, with suspicion and slight fear. Finally, one of them managed to ask:"Mangetsu, you`re really alive?"  
Mangetsu beamed "Yeah!"  
*Damn it,*thought Kakashi,*can`t you just shut up...*  
"But you fell..."another man widened his eyes,"how could you survive?"  
Then all of them noticed Kakashi, who stood still and made no movement. "Who are you?"  
Kakashi merely looked at them, his attention was focused on the unconscious man,"can we ask questions later? Let`s get this guy inside..."  
The men gaped at him for a moment, looking somewhat scared at Kakashi`s bluntness.  
*I think I`ve found the place, where all the Evil is coming from...* thought Kakashi, covering his Sharingan-eye with his black mask.

After entering the Snake-town, Kakashi noticed quite a few people staring at him. Most of them seemed to be happy, that Mangetsu was alive. "This is unbelievable!"  
"What about the others?" and so on...  
The wide grin that Mangetsu had taken on dropped at the last questions. "I`m afraid, we`re the only survivors."  
Kakashi looked away from Mangetsu at the men, somehow they reminded him the Snake-Samurais he`d seen before.  
"Hey, listen to me!" Mangetsu suddenly yelled. "This youngster here- Kakashi, saved us both! He even carried my brother through the forest. You should be grateful..."  
"Excuse me?" a man with a big scar over his face looked directly at Kakashi."I would like to thank you."  
Then another man, possibly a guard, looked at Kakashi. "Hey, you," he barked, "I am not satisfied with the situation. You came within an hour after we arrived here. Through the forest?"  
He was cut off by a woman running towards Mangetsu.   
"Mangetsu!" she yelled, "you`re alive!"  
The woman glanced at Kakashi."Thank you. My brother is an idiot,but I`m glad he`s safe."  
Kakashi smiled to her."I already thought, that I did something wrong by saving him..."  
She looked puzzled for a moment, then begun to laugh. "Please, show me your face."  
Kakashi cocked his head. "Sorry, this is something I can`t do."  
"Zakuro!" a man`s voice made everyone look up. There stood a pale man with black hair and snake-like eyes. He addressed the guard."Please, guide our guest later to me. I would like to thank him."  
Kakashi`s body started to shake violently, as he felt the pain in his arm again.   
"I am Kakashi from the Village of the Hidden Leaf,"he said, stepping closer.  
"I am Orochimaru," the pale man hissed, guiding Kakashi into the Snake-town. "I`ll talk to you later..."  
Orochimaru turned and suddenly disappeared. Kakashi could only gasp at his speed.   
He un-covered his Sharingan-eye and stared down, not knowing what to think about this town in the middle of the mountains and about Orochimaru...  
Mangetsu`s sister noticed Kakashi`s eye and was surprised. "A Sharingan??"  
*I can definitely see, why Mangetsu thought I sound like Orochimaru...*Kakashi thought to himself.  
"He came face by face with Moro,"exclaimed Mangetsu, arm around Kakashi`s shoulders.  
"Tell me, who is Moro?"asked Kakashi quietly.  
"The two-tailed she-wolf," said another man, who had carrot-red hair and had some over-weight."She hates all humans, especially Lord Orochimaru. And she`s got two pups and a girl on her side..."  
Kakashi`s thoughts wandered to the girl who had approached the injured God by the river, how she had spat the blood and told him to leave.  
"Orochimaru-sama is a good man but he doesn`t care about Gods,"informed Mangetsu,"you should`ve seen him with Nago!"  
"Nago?" Kakashi echoed.  
"Nago was a huge boar, master of this forest! No-one could get near the mountains...."  
Kakashi could imagine the giant Nago being shot with flaming arrows, not getting hurt, attacking the miners.  
"Then Ocochimaru-sama came with guns and snakes."  
Kakashi grabbed his arm, like it was bulging again with demonic snakes.   
A young man noticed Kakashi`s grimace. "Does your arm hurt?"  
"No, I was just thinking about that Nago,"Kakashi said.* Nago, who`m I`ve killed...*


	9. Kakashi and Orochimaru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi finds out more about Orochimaru, not in very pleasant way...  
> Oro/Kaka-ish, cause I`m not sure, that I should ruin this story with yaoi. So I`ll keep it this way.  
> The pups of Moro are named Akio,( AKIO (1-昭雄, 2-昭夫): Japanese name meaning 1) "glorious hero" or 2) "glorious man.")  
> and Hideaki ( HIDEAKI (秀明): Japanese name meaning "shining excellence; splendid brightness.")

Later that night Kakashi met Orochimaru in his hall.  
"You know Kakashi," Orochimaru said thoughtfully," I`ve always wanted to see, what you`re hiding under this mask..."  
Orochimaru`s hand reached out and pulled down Kakashi`s mask. Kakashi`s face colored in anger, as his beautiful face was exposed. Orochimaru roughly pulled him closer by his wrist.  
"You`re an ANBU member, right?"  
"Yes sir...may I ask what this is about?"  
"Oh, you`ll be just perfect then....so much potential. It can`t go to waste now, can it?" he sneered.  
Kakashi narrowed his eyes, but gave no answer.  
*I can handle it, I`m not a child,* thought Kakashi. He turned to look at Orochimaru, who was slowly getting closer. Kakashi had to push down his growing fear and stared him right in the eye.  
*Yes,*Orochimaru thought,*he is perfect...*  
"What exactly is that you need, Orochimaru-sama?" Kakashi asked with a defiant look in his eyes. Oh how Orochimaru loved that look!  
"Oh well, that`s rather simple, really... I want you!" Orochimaru laughed. Kakashi froze on his place.  
Orochimaru made some quick hand-seals and his neck extended, rather grossly in Kakashi`s opinion, towards the young Hatake. Kakashi barely had time to react when sharp fangs sunk into the left side of his neck.  
Orochimaru pulled back in seconds, his head resting in right place. Kakashi cried out in pain and grabbed the left side of his neck. Orochimaru took a minute to admire his work, before explaining, what he`d done.  
"The Hell curse mark," he chuckled, "I created it myself. Beautiful, isn`t it?" he asked rhetorically to the boy on the floor, curled up in a ball of agony by his side...

Kakashi stood in a dark room, it seemed as there was no end. There were no walls, no floor, no ceiling. Nothing. Just darkness. One would not dare to call it a room. Kakashi stood in the centre looking around frantically when he appeared. His sickly white skin, yellow eyes that burned into Kakashi`s soul, making even the strongest men whimper and cover their eyes.  
A red blinding rage overtook Kakashi, he felt his injured arm burning again, and his neck. It was in pain, but he didn`t care. He just needed to kill that Orochimaru and he`d be set free of his curse, so he hoped.  
He launched forward, Sharingan unleashed, electricity crackling and roaring around his arm. He would kill the snake...  
Then everything stopped, his chidori failed. He stopped in his tracks, unable to move. His hand moved to cover his curse mark as black snakes danced around his arm, feeling and looking like fire... Falling to one knee, Kakashi moaned in pain.  
Kakashi lifted his head, instantly regretting it as he saw Orochimaru standing over him with a smirk over his lips, eyes lit up with glee.  
"Well, well... you`re amazing,"Orochimaru hissed, "and you survived two curses..."  
He stopped the youngster, grabbing his shoulder.  
"Your Sharingan is constantly active, isn`t it?"  
Kakashi nodded. *What does he want now?*  
"I knew it... Kakashi, since Obito gave you this eye, have you been getting tired more easily?"  
Kakashi considered this, how he almost failed to kill the Boar God, then collapsed out of sheer exhaustion nearly twenty times at the memorial stone and at his house. He thought, that this was simply because of the curse-mark, of anger and pain.  
"Yes,"he replied finally,"but I never thought, that it had anything to do with the Sharingan. I don`t believe it, really..."  
"You have to cover it up, hide it,"explained Orochimaru, putting his hands on Kakashi`s shoulders."This Sharingan is eating your chakra..."  
"Cover it up? With what?" asked Kakashi.  
He reached up and pulled down his headband, until it covered his left eye and the Sharingan. "Will this work?"  
Orochimaru smiled. "That`s perfect."  
*Damn it, Obito,* Kakashi thought,*I know you meant it well, but this is just one more problem I don`t wanna deal with.*  
"You should rest,"Orochimaru insisted,"the poison won`t kill you, but moving too much will make the pain only worse. It should pass, though, in a few hours..."  
Kakashi moaned softly.  
"Come to my room, when you feel better," Orochimaru begun to walk away. "I have many thing to show you in my Snake-town."

San was riding on the back of his older brother, Akio and they all went quietly into the darkness. It was very quiet, around midnight. San had her spear ready for the Snake-man, just in case. When they got closer to Snake-town, lots of mice were seen, their eyes were glowing red. Hideaki growled softly, putting his head against San`s shoulder. Slowly trio moved closer to the evil town. San stroked Hideaki`s head, but there was no time to loose.  
So she pulled down her scary mask and flipped the pelt over her shoulder. The time has come...  
They charged towards the town. Within seconds San and her brothers had reached the barren strip of land surrounding the fortress of Orochimaru.  
There was a yell:" The Wolf princess is coming!"  
Out of the corned of her eye San saw a figure in orange with a gun, the nasty gunmen again. He fired at San, but the wolves and the girl were too fast, so the bullets missed. They run along the outside of the town, down the hill, across the little stream and up again. Akio slammed San against the spikes outside the wall and the girl jumped up, over the spikes and almost to the top of town`s walls.  
With her spear, San pierced one of the chinks between wooden logs and hauled herself up, scrambling to hook her legs between the logs. She drew her knife, facing a scared gunman.  
The man yelled something and took a swing at San. She jumped away onto the next post, to the next... then she jumped down and with a quick slash of her knife, the guard was there no more.  
*Humans! A whole crowd of them!* San jumped to the roof and started running.  
"It`s her!" they screamed. San swung her knife to the first attacker. He couldn`t be older than San...and he seemed to be familiar... The masked boy!  
"Stop!" Kakashi yelled at San, trying to grab her wrist, blocking her every attempt to slit his throat. "I don`t want to fight you!"  
*No matter. He is not my target. I can get him later...* San jumped back and up onto the low roof, barely missing a torch by an inch.  
"She`s after Lord Orochimaru!" the humans cried.  
*Yes, I am! Tonight I will kill the Snake-man!*  



	10. The Wolf Girl attacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> San attacks the Snake-town.  
> Kanashibari no Jutsu -Kanashibari no Jutsu, literally "Temporary Paralysis Technique", one of Orochimaru`s jutsus. Used to cause one's opponent to lose the advantage of movement. Freezing them in their tracks, this Jutsu creates an opening for a more dangerous attack. Most ANBU seem to know this technique.
> 
> Kusanagi no Tsurugi: Ku no Tachi (Kusanagi Sword: Long Sword of the Heavens)  
> Name: Kusanagi no Tsurugi: Ku no Tachi, literally "Kusanagi Sword: Long Sword of the Heavens"  
> Type: B-rank, Offensive, Short to mid-range (0-10m)  
> Users: Orochimaru  
> This technique arms Orochimaru with the Kusanagi, of Japanese legend. Orochimaru opens his mouth and a snake comes out, opens its mouth, and produces the sword of Kusanagi.

"Hurry! She is after Lord Orochimaru!"  
The yell was enough to make Kakashi thinking clearly again, as his thoughts had become rather clouded once the Wolf Girl had landed in front of him and started attacking. Spotting a stack of wooden crates against the side of a house, Kakashi mentally prepared himself for what he was going to do. Then, he broke into a run, heading straight to the crates. When he was about three feet away from them, he jumped and the moment his feet hit the crates, he used it as platform and pulled himself to the roof.  
Once he was safely up, Kakashi looked at the direction where Wolf Girl had gone. She was heading right to the forge, jumping from roof to roof. Without thinking twice, Kakashi took off after her, hoping to catch her before she got herself injured or even killed.  
"Wait!" Kakashi yelled at her. The Wolf Girl had leaped onto the roof of forge and was running up to very top. Soon she had vanished into the rising smoke, and Kakashi lost track of her, but he still chased after her, soon reaching the forge himself.  
*Girls!* he cursed in his thoughts.  
The humans below were in frenzy, gathering into a square, in the middle stood the damned Snake-man, with an evil grin on his pale face.  
Then he called San, "Can you hear me, Princess of the Beasts? If it`s me you want, then here I am. If you would avenge your tribe, then here are some who seek vengeance for their husbands and brothers!"  
San stood up and made her presence seen to the Snake-man.  
"No! Wait! Princess of the Wolf Gods! Don`t go down there! Go back to your forest!" she heard Kakashi shouting somewhere close her again. He was on the roof just like her, but she didn`t care.  
*I am a Wolf. I am on the hunt and will not fail!* San thought to herself, not paying any attention to Kakashi, grabbing her knife tighter in hand.  
"Listen to me! Don`t throw your life away!" Kakashi pleaded, but it was useless.  
San heard the howl of his brother Akio in the woods. Time to kill the Snake-man!  
"For Mother..." San said to herself, her anger burning fierce. Her eyes narrowed, as she raised her dagger up and started her run towards the Snake-man. The loud sound of gunfire reached her ears as a part of the roof right in front of her fell down.  
San fell into a roll, aware of her body and where she was going, but unable to stop the speed. She fell off the roof and landed like a cat on all four paws, slowly raising and ready to attack...  
"Kanashibari no Jutsu!" she heard the Snake-man yelling.  
San couldn`t move and fell paralyzed on the ground, barely breathing. She was un-moving for few seconds, but the voice of Kakashi brought her from the dazed state.  
"Wake up!" Kakashi`s closeness startled her and she was about to attack again. Slashing her knife at him, she cut his mask, just above the weird red eye. San continued to slash at him, making Kakashi to retreat, so she could get past him.  
"No!" Kakashi shouted as San run past him to the crowd of angry people.  
"Die!" San shouted, as she charged up to the Snake-man, ready to fight. Orochimaru was ready, as he made some quick hand-seals.  
"Kusanagi no Tsurugi: Ku no Tachi!" and out of seemingly nowhere, a sword appeared into Orochimaru`s hand. A surprise dagger come out from his other hand, injuring San`s fur covered shoulder.  
San jumped back out of range, as she readied her knife against Snake-man`s attacks. Orochimaru was taller than San,making the attacks harder. But San was quick on her feet, searching for an opening to attack.

Kakashi`s Sharingan flashed in anger. There was a wind around him, making his silver hair flow around his head. He clenched his right fist, ignoring the sharp pain, that was going through his hand and shoulder again.  
He grabbed his short sword and started slowly and calmly walking toward the fighting circle.  
As he walked, a single thought was ringing in his mind." Hatred. Nothing but hatred and pain and killing where ever I go..."  
Ibiki had gotten to his feet and saw Kakashi walking toward him, ghostly black tendrils swirling around his right arm, Sharingan blazing, and sword drawn. His eyes were narrowed, though he wasn`t exactly glaring.  
But it was clear, that Kakashi was very, very angry...  
"Damn Hatake-kid!" growled Ibiki,"You`re with wolves, aren`t you?"  
Kakashi ignored him, continuing his walk towards. The black snakes around his arm seemed eager to kill Ibiki, and Kakashi even could hear a voice in his mind telling him to kill that stupid man.  
"Halt!" Ibiki ordered. As Kakashi approached him, he took the tip of Ibiki`s sword in his fingers and bent it to half as easily as if it was made of paper instead of steel.  
"Get out of the way." Kakashi ordered, before walking past him. Some of the ghost tentacles left his arm and encircled the tip of Ibiki`s sword. Ibiki glanced at the snakes and threw the sword to the ground, his body shaking with fear.  
Kakashi approached the mob of people, who had once again formed a circle around Orochimaru and the Wolf Girl. Using the strength of his cursed arm, Kakashi shoved himself through the crowd. He would not be stopped so easily, even if he had to throw some men out of his way. With one final move, Kakashi pushed himself to the front of the crowd, and his eyes narrowed even more at the sight in front of him.  
The Wolf Girl on her knees, her arms being held by two different men, both of them leering maliciously. A trickle of blood was sliding down from the side of her head and there was a deep cut under her left eye that was bleeding rather heavily down her cheek.  
Her eyes were barely open, and she seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness. The man holding the Wolf Girl`s right arm was using his left arm to hold her up, and was gripping a fistful of her hair in his right hand, keeping her throat bared.  
"You thought you can kill me?" hissed Orochimaru, pointing his sword at the Wolf Girl. "You may act like a wolf, but you`ll die as a dog..."  
"Chidori!" there was a flash of light, that stopped Orochimaru from killing San. Kakashi had jumped directly in front of Orochimaru, holding his sword in his right hand and blocking the Sannin from attacking the Wolf Girl.  
"What you think you`re doing, boy?" asked Orochimaru, sounding irritated.  
"She can`t fight you! She`s wounded..."Kakashi snarled, his Sharingan blazing.  
"She attacked me. I`m just protecting myself."  
Orochimaru looked directly at Kakashi and licked his lips with his long snake tongue.  
Then, Orochimaru smiled at him, which sent shivers over Kakashi`s spine.  
Kakashi`s eyes narrowed again. "You both are the same. There`s a Demon inside both of you." as soon as he said this, the black snakes reappeared, swirling around his arm. Only this time they were bigger than before.  
The townspeople gasped in horror, most of them stepped back. Who or what was this boy? Was he really a human? Or was he a Demon?  



	11. Kakashi`s curse. Hideaki and Akio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu - ◦Name: Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique (魔幻・奈烙見の術, Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu; English "Demonic Illusion: Death Mirage Jutsu")  
> ◦Type: D-rank, Supplementary, Short range (0-5m)  
> ◦User: Kakashi Hatake  
> ◦Hand Seals: Snake, Rat  
> ◦Debut (Anime): Naruto Episode 5  
> ◦Debut (Manga): Chapter 6  
> This jutsu causes the target to see a horrifying vision. First, an imaginary circle of leaves will spin around and envelop the target, falling away shortly after. After a short period, the illusion will begin. This is to make the illusion more convincing, since the user will likely have moved before the illusion sets in. When used on Sakura, she sees a vision of a dying and mutilated Sasuke, causing her to scream and faint.

"Look, everyone!" Kakashi yelled, looking around. "This is was hatred looks like! It`s eating me slowly alive and soon it will kill me! Fear and anger only makes it grow stronger and faster!"  
Orochimaru chuckled. What could such young boy do? He didn`t seem to be dangerous...only this Sharingan.  
"You can`t let yourself be ruled by hatred and anger..."then he turned to face Orochimaru,"and you...you gave me another curse. For this, you`ll pay..."  
San tried to get out of his grip, push it off, but Kakashi`s strength was incredible. No man should ever have a grip that strong!  
"What are you doing?" sneered Orochimaru at him.  
"The girl is mine,"Kakashi answered calmly. San bite his arm like a wolf, struggling to get free, but Kakashi didn`t even acknowledge her.  
"I`m sure, she`ll make a lovely wife,"Orochimaru`s arm was caught in Kakashi`s grip as well, so he couldn`t even make a hand-seal.  
Suddenly, dark tendrils came out from Kakashi`s hand and roamed around.  
*The mark of a Demon...*San realized with fear bursting out of her.*Kakashi is cursed!*  
She screamed, swatting the tentacles.  
"Enough of your curse," hissed Orochimaru, almost getting out of the boy`s grip,"I`ll cut that damned hand off!"  
Orochimaru hissed in anger and Kakashi suddenly found snakes coiling around his legs, rooting him to the spot. Kakashi had to release Orochimaru and jumped aside, dragging San with him. Kakashi snarled, as the Sanning swung his blade towards him.  
"You know Kakashi,"Orochimaru smirked,"I should`ve killed you..."  
The snakes around his legs were gone and Kakashi thought about attacking Orochimaru, but he realized, that San`s life was depending on his actions.  
Just before Orochimaru was going to attack them, Kakashi knocked him unconscious with his cursed arm. With a grunt, Orochimaru`s blade fell out of his grip and clattered to the ground as the Sannin fell on Kakashi`s shoulder.  
As the demonic snaked disappeared, some men stepped closer at the sight of their leader collapsing.  
Kakashi held the man up,before talking to the crowd again."Someone lend me a hand!" he gasped, trying to hold the Sannin up.  
Numerous hands grabbed the pale man, so Kakashi could finally take some breath. "I will take the girl!" he announced loudly.  
"Wait!"  
Slowly, Kakashi turned around. It was one of the women, who had demanded vengeance, when standing next to Orochimaru. Her hands were shaking, but she aimed at Kakashi with a gun. "Nobody treats Orochimaru-sama like that..."  
Kakashi glanced at her for a while. Poor, brave woman... Her face was pale and though she tried to hide it, she was terrified. Of Kakashi. Terrified, that he might use the Demon`s powers on her. Finally, Kakashi turned away, walking through the crowd.  
"Don`t move!" she shouted nervously, but Kakashi kept on moving.  
Quietly, he managed to make snake and rat hand-seals. " Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu!"  
He hoped, that shocking this woman with some visions would help, but he was wrong. The woman was scared, but pulled the trigger still.  
The gun exploded behind Kakashi and the bullet went straight through his body. The pain was overhelming, but he still kept moving...  
*This might be the end of me...*Agony broke loose like a wild animal. Kakashi staggered, grimacing under his black mask, but didn`t collapse. Slowly, he walked past the men and women, thick red blood trailing his way. The distance felt like miles...  
His vision was getting blurred, and his entire body was throbbing. He knew, that the shock of the bullet should`ve killed him, but the Curse kept him alive.  
Slowly, Kakashi approached the gates of the Snake town, San hanging over his shoulder. His wound left a blood trail, droplets of crimson falling to the ground.  
"Sir, you can`t go through here," warned one of the guards nervously."The gate cannot be open without permission."  
"We beg you, go back," the other guard asked with low voice.  
"I came here on my own feet,"Kakashi looked at the men with Sharingan un-covered,"and I will leave on them." with that, Kakashi placed his hand against the wooden gate, the other hand on San`s wrist.  
"It`s impossible! It takes ten men to open the gate..." the guard stepped back.  
But Kakashi pushed against the gate with all of his remaining strength. Blood dripped on the ground, along with his strength and energy, chakra. He felt the blood move over his body, the thick fluid no warmer or cooler than his own skin. After a few moments more the blood was still leaving his rapidly paling flesh, but the pulses were slower, weaker...  
Mangetsu, who had arrived to the scene, shouted, "Kakashi, stop! You`ll die!" But despite everything, the gate inched back a little.  
"He moved it!" the crowd was surprised.  
The gate groaned like a dying old man, relented and at last Kakashi was underneath it. When the gate was opened enough so Kakashi could get through, he saw two white Wolf-Gods.  
Calling to them, Kakashi announced,"Your princess is safe!" The Wolves stopped, still snarling fiercely.  
"I`m coming over there now!" Kakashi passed under the gates, then turned his head to the townspeople."Thank you..."  
The two Wolves, Akio and Hideaki, growled furiously, as Kakashi approached them. Kakashi looked at them and did a brief inspection to be sure, what he would be dealing with if they decided to attack him. The one on his right, who was clawing the ground in anger, was slightly bigger, so he was the older one. The one on the left was a bit smaller, though he was still much larger than an average Wolf.  
"Let her go, boy!" Akio snarled, shaking his head in anger, but not taking his eyes off of bleeding Kakashi.   
Kakashi glanced away from the Wolves and up to the Snake-town`s towers. A huge snake was there, and also some riflemen, staring at them. Kakashi turned his head and looked up.   
Akio had finally noticed Kakashi`s glances, followed his gaze and spotted the people of Snake-town watching them. He gave a low growl, before nudging the larger Wolf with his nose. "Hideaki, the humans are watching..."  
"Let them watch! They`ll see us tearing one of them apart." the elder one, called Hideaki, took few steps forward. Kakashi didn`t flinch, instead stared defiantly back at the large Wolf.  
"I want...to help her," he stated, trying to stop the bleeding. "Tell me, where we can bring her and I`ll help you..."  
Hideaki let out a mocking laugh. "Tell me, human, why on earth would I do something like that?"   
Kakashi`s eyes narrowed, Hideaki was able to see his Sharingan. "Tell me, Wolf," he practically spat out through clenched teeth. "Do you wish to see San die?" He looked the Wolves straight in the eyes. "Orochimaru wanted to kill her, now she is unconscious. The only reason she is alive is that I saved her. I am shot by a human bullet...." he took a breath,"I don`t want her to die. Do you?"  
His question hung in the air between Wolves and him. Kakashi could see the elder Wolf physically restraining himself from attacking, while the younger one seemed to be thinking.   
*But if the Forest Spirit doesn`t heal me... then what?* thought Kakashi. He felt, that he couldn`t take the pain and weakness much longer.  
Kakashi couldn`t think about the possibilities very long, because Akio turned and let out a sigh of frustration. "Come on, boy. We`ll show you, where to go."  
Without another word, he walked off, going away from the Snake-town and towards to the thick forest. Soon, they were in the swamp, the place Kakashi already knew.  
Akio stopped and looked at Kakashi with something like caution. "You say, that you saved San?"  
Kakashi nodded silently, falling to his knees. He was tired and weak.   
"Thank you, human,"the Wolf lowered his head a bit. Kakashi blinked, slightly taken aback from this odd form of gratitude.  
"Don`t thank me," he smiled, looking at the unconscious girl, "I simply didn`t want her to die."


	12. The Forest Spirit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know, Kakashi is shot and bleeding and still goes on... The Curse is keeping him up.  
> I didn`t write the scene with Ape Gods, sorry!

"What is this place?" Kakashi wondered.  
Kakashi felt his shoulders relax lightly as he looked around, even the pain seemed to be gone... The Wolves had led him to the forest, where he had brought Mangetsu, but had brought him to a part that he had never seen before.  
The moon`s light- the only light they had to see where they were going- shone through the tree branches, giving the place an eerily beautiful look. There were patches on the trees and ground, that seemed to be glowing with a luminescent blue light. The bare branches spiked into the sky - no sign of life to be found anywhere. It was so dark Kakashi was barely able to see where he were going. There were only small sounds of rustling bushes and the howl of the wind.  
Kodamas were beginning to appear, in the tree branches above and on the ground. Kakashi wasn`t afraid of them, he liked the little creatures.  
Kakashi felt warm again, and relaxed. The good presence was back. He felt as there was nothing to fear, like something protected him from getting hurt.  
"This is the pool of the Forest Spirit," Hideaki growled, looking back and him and glared,"no human has ever set foot here."  
*The pool of the Forest Spirit?* Kakashi thought and looked around. *So this is His home, then.*  
The small amount of energy Kakashi had left gave away. He fell backwards, onto the grass and became unconscious as soon as he hit the ground.  
San had been unconscious for few hours, but the moment she was able to form a coherent thought and realize, that the human hands around her waist were gone and she heard a soft thud behind her. She managed to stay upright for a moment, long enough to see that she was in the Deer God`s Forest. San felt the familiar feeling of her brother`s nose nuzzling against her cheek. Slowly and hesitantly she opened her eyes and stared into Akio`s brown and concerned eyes.  
"Akio..." she smiled and touched his nose.  
"You`re lucky to be alive, sister," Akio stated, nuzzling her with his nose." One of these humans shot the boy, who helped you to get here..."  
At this, San`s eyes snapped open and she looked at the bleeding young man. "What?"  
The Kodamas started lining up, walking up the tree trunks surrounding the lake. Soon, all the tree tops were covered with white little dots, the Kodamas waiting to see the Forest Spirit.  
They were completely silent, they didn`t want to anger Him.  
Suddenly, appearing out of the night- He was coming. At night, He was the Nightwalker, a humanoid figure. He looked like human, because He had arms and legs, a body and oddly shaped head. But He wasn`t human. He was miles high, towering above the forest and was half-transparent. He was covered with indigo-colored designs, and sparkling lights shone over His body like the brightest stars. A black mist seemed to swirl inside His huge body.  
The Kodamas watched, as the Nightwalker came through the forest. One Kodama then turned it`s head and made a loud click. Soon, all the air was filled with Kodamas clicking and happy to see Him.  
The Nightwalker reached a part in the trees and looked down at it. The Kodamas were still clicking. The Nightwalker`s head started slowly to lower down into the forest, His antlers begun to shrink back into the body. Then, He seemed to fall toward into the trees. This caused a wild wind blow through the tree tops, Kodamas enjoying it. The wind carried down through the part in the trees and ruffled the leaves of the smallest tree on the island of the Forest Spirit.  
Kakashi was still resting on the island, still unconscious, getting closer and closer to the death with every minute.  
A figure then began to form on the island. It seemed, like the wind itself was creating this figure. The figure looked like a deer, with long, shaggy fur that became a beige color around it`s face and under the body. It had animalistic, but yet human face, colored the same red as San`s markings, with dark red eyes.  
It walked forward slowly and carefully, putting one foot ahead of the other. It approached unconscious, almost dead Kakashi, long grass and flowers blooming from the ground where ever it stepped, instantly dying a second later as it pulled it`s foot away from the ground to take another step.  
This creature was Him, the Forest Spirit. He stared at the tree sapling in front of His face. And then at the bleeding Kakashi.  
He pulled in a breath. The sapling died. The boy breathed.

The forest was light, it was about mid-day. A drop of water fell on Kakashi`s face. He opened his eyes slowly, looking around. The sky above was blue, he could see it from the opening of forest canopy.  
*How beautiful,* he thought.  
Half-awake, Kakashi noticed, that the pain from the wound was gone. He moved his arm to touch the place, where he had been shot. But he felt nothing than perfectly fins flesh.  
"There`s no wound!" he gasped and tried to sit up, but he collapsed because of exhaustion. He was still extremely weak.  
Then he noticed the ugly scar of the Curse on his arm. What had occupied only a part of his arm now extended to his palm.  
*How much time do I have left?* he sighed in despair and let his head fall to the ground.  
Then Kakashi noticed San, the Wolf-girl, near him. Her gaze was stern, but not unkind. "The Shishi-gami, Forest Spirit, brought you back to life. I`ll help you."  
"I had this dream...a golden deer," Kakashi begun, but the girl ignored him. She held a dry meat close to Kakashi`s lips. To eat, Kakashi had to pull his mask off.  
"Eat," she ordered and stuck the food on Kakashi`s lips. Kakashi was so weak, that he couldn`t make his jaws to work.  
"Chew," San ordered, a lot softer. Kakashi just couldn`t...  
She took the meat and Kakashi could hear her chewing it. Her steady gaze never left his face.  
Then she knelt over Kakashi and put her mouth over his, pushing the chewed food to him. Kakashi was finally able to eat, but not without difficulty.


	13. The Boar tribe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okkoto`s tribe meets Moro, Akio, Hideaki, San and Kakashi.

A giant white Wolf stalked in the shadows, it was Moro. San stood up, sensing something coming through the woods. A crowd of boars emerged, but San couldn`t recognize none of them, they weren`t from there.  
The squealing filled the peaceful environment.  
San took a protective stance and moved close to Kakashi. Akio and Hideaki came out as well, to greet the foreign lords.  
"We are here to kill the humans and save the forest," one boar finally announced,"Why are humans here?"  
"This girl is San, my daughter,"Moro growled at them calmly."These days humans are everywhere. Go back and kill them in your own mountains."  
"We kill for the Forest Spirit!" they claimed."Why are the humans here?"  
"The Shishi-gami healed the boys wounds."San spoke up,"we must send him back unscatched."  
Now the boars got angry at San`s speech."The Forest Spirit saved him?"they squealed furiously,"Why didn`t he save Nago? Is he not the guardian of the forest?"  
"The Shishi-gami gives life and takes it away,"Moro replied," Have you boars forgotten that?"  
"No!" the boars were even more angry, "You begged the Shishi-gami for him! You did not beg for Nago!"  
"He feared death, as do I. I also carry a poisoned bullet inside my body. Nago fled, but I remain, willing to face my end."  
"Moro, go to the Shishi-gami,"San urged her.  
"I have lived long enough, San,"Moro said to her," and the Shishi-gami would take my life."  
"No, Mother! You`ve protected the Shishi-gami!" San was sad and angry at the same time.  
The boars interrupted. "Nago was beautiful and strong! He would not run! You wolves ate him!"  
"Silence!" San demanded,"You slender my Mother!"  
Kakashi raised slowly his head. "Listen to me, wild Gods of the forest," he said quietly,"it was I who killed Nago. He had become a Demon and attacked my Village. A huge boar...this is my proof." He held up his hand. Kakashi spoke softly. Though even with superior hearing, the boars had quieted down to hear, what he has to say.  
San gasped quietly. An ugly dark purple scar run down his hand. It has a twisted shape and San knew, that it is what caused the demon snakes at the Snake-town last night.  
*He is still dying,*San thought with bitterness, "but the Forest Spirit healed his other wound. Why would He not heal Kakashi`s curse, if He wants this boy to live?*she thought to herself.  
"I came here to ask, if the Forest Spirit could lift Nago`s Curse on me... He healed the bullet wound on my side, but the Curse mark remains. First it will tear my soul apart and then I will die..."Kakashi told them, while trying to get up.  
"No!" San said, she was suddenly afraid and didn`t want Kakashi to die. The boy had, after all rescued her.  
The boars begun to step aside and making way to someone. This boar was a giant, with white fur and clouded eyes, also he had four tusks.  
"Okkoto," Moro begun with relief, "finally someone who will listen to a reason."  
San watched, as the large Boar God approached Kakashi Hatake.  
*No! He`s gonna eat him!*she thought and rushed in to stop Okkoto.  
"No, Lord Okkoto! Please, you mustn`t eat him." she started respectfully, stopping the giant.  
The Boar God raised it`s head and turned to face her. "Ah, you are Moro`s human child, aren`t you?" he asked, taking a sniff with his large nostrils. "I have heard of you."  
Then he turned towards Kakashi. "Young one," Okkoto`s voice was like Moro`s- calm from the outside but had a quiet threat underneath. "You carry the scent of an indecent darkness."  
That was, when Kakashi caught sight of Okkoto`s eyes. They were an odd shade of milky blue and white- Okkoto was almost blind.  
"Tell me, why I can smell the scent of Evil on you..."Okkoto said, that was not a request.  
"I was the one, who killed Nago," Kakashi stated, reaching his cursed hand towards Okkoto. A gasp of horror came from the boars, as Kakashi continued. "He had become a Demon and rampaged far to the east of here, where my village was. I tried to calm him, but he would not stop, so I was forced to kill him... But he managed to catch me before I got him and he gave me this mark." He lowered his hand and placed it to his lap. "The Curse will tear my soul apart and then it will turn me into a Demon, or kill me. But either way, if this Curse will not be removed, I will die."  
San took couple of steps back and watched in awe and remorse. She felt sorry for the Boar God that he was almost blind and unable to see through eyes clouded.  
"I believe you and thank you for it, young one," Okkoto took a sniff,"I am only grieved and ashamed, that such Demon came from our tribe."Okkoto said. The other boars lowered their heads, accepting Kakashi`s tale as truth now that Okkoto believed it.  
"O mighty Lord, is there a way to lift Nago`s curse on me?" Kakashi dared to ask. He still had hope.  
"Leave this forest....for the next time we meet I will kill you."Okkoto warned Kakashi.  
Kakashi let out a small sigh. He had expected for there to be no real answer to his problem.  
Moro spoke up." You cannot win against the humans. Their guns will destroy all of you." she sounded tired.  
"Look at my tribe, Moro,"Okkoto said harshly."We grow small, and we grow stupid. Soon we will be nothing than squealing game...that humans hunt for their meat..."  
"You would risk everything for one last battle?" Moro sighed, "That`s what the humans want."  
"I do not ask for the help of the Wolf tribe. Even if every one of us dies... it will be a battle that the humans will never forget." Okkoto`s words made it clear- they will fight the humans. They would die. But they would fight. When this was said, Okkoto walked away into the trees, followed closely by the rest of the boars. But in Kakashi`s head was forming a plan...  
Then they all saw it.  
Standing off in the distance, where the sunlight was shining through the trees onto the lake, was the Forest Spirit. He was standing on the water, head down drinking the water. San heard herself breathe in sharply, her shoulders tensing.  
Kakashi bit his lip, he had to ignore the fact that his mark seemed to burn a bit more than it usually did at the sight of Him.  
"The Forest Spirit," San said, her voice barely above a whisper. They watched as the creature looked over at their direction then seemed to have a grin upon His weird face, as He padded away across the water`s surface.


	14. Kakashi and Moro have a talk. Hanzou.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> About Hanzō (半蔵, Hanzō), feared as Hanzō of the Salamander (山椒魚の半蔵, Sanshōuo no Hanzō), was a legendary shinobi, and the leader of Amegakure during his lifetime.  
> Also here: http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Hanz%C5%8D

Kakashi grimaced, his hand was still hurting. The pain shot up his scarred right arm and his forehead was covered with cold sweat. He stood up and looked around.  
This was a cave with an entrance to a rock ledge, Outside was midnight. To his side, San, the Wolf Girl, was snoring peacefully. Kakashi smiled.  
Another shot of agony. Unable to bear the pain he walked out from the cave.  
Looking over the edge, he studied the green valley above him. Stepping up onto the sand strewn rock, the wind whipped, howling, pushing my body toward the edge and the canyon floor ten thousand feet below. Ribbon-like fissures lined the gorge with their wind-carved texture, not far off a waterfall tumbled, white in the desert light. The water lay upon the canyon floor, passing over minerals and stones - a deep, meandering river fed by a myriad of tributaries. Trees and saplings lined the sides, a company of green for the winding aquamarine, leading toward a lush valley that blossomed into an earthy vibe.  
A growling, wolfish voice spoke behind him, so Kakashi turned around.  
"Do you suffer? As you regain your strength, so will your wound spread..."  
"Has Okkoto moved yet?"Kakashi asked, covering his Sharingan-eye. "It`s such a beautiful forest..."  
Moro regarded him, then turned her head towards the forest. "Go back inside the cave, young one. How can you hear the sorrowful cries of the forest as the boar tribe moves among the trees? My own body is dying..."  
"Moro, is there really no other way?" asked Kakashi. "What will you do with San, abandon her as well?"  
"Quiet, young one!" Moro sneered. "How could you save her? You don`t understand her misfortune... She was nothing but a child who was thrown to us so humans could escape from our teeth! Unable to become a wolf, she is my dear, ugly, fur-less child."  
"I don`t know yet...what to do..."  
"Young one, there is nothing you can do. You will eventually be consumed by the Curse and die. Leave this place by dawn."

That night San didn`t have pleasant dreams. Her subconscious conjured up an image of Kakashi becoming a Demon, just like Nago did before he left the forest. The transparent, snake-like tentacles she had seen coming out from his hand now covered Kakashi`s entire body. His eyes void of anything except hate and darkness as he looked towards San. Quiet footsteps woke her up. She opened her eyes and saw Kakashi kneeling next to her.  
*He can walk,*she thought and turned her head up to face Kakashi.  
"You feel alright? "she asked.  
"I`m fine,"Kakashi smiled under his black mask,"thanks to you and the Forest Spirit."  
San smiled at Kakashi and then snuggled back to sleep. Kakashi watched her for a while, then pulled the fur-blanket over her. Then he fell asleep, too.

When Kakashi woke in the morning, he found the bright sun already in the sky, shining hotly over the stone ledge. San and the Wolves were gone, emptiness was surrounding him. By his feet are his katana, pouch and some food, covered with leaves.  
Kakashi remembered Okkoto`s words "Leave this forest." And now the prepared food. But Kakashi had other plans in his head.  
Someone was watching him, Kakashi`s sixth sense told him. He looked around and saw Hideaki sitting close to the trees.  
Something was wrong. "Where are the Kodamas?" The usual little cute sprites were absent this morning.  
*I can smell the smoke...*Kakashi murmured, following Hideaki.  
Then he turned to Hideaki, who was about to leave. "Thank you for guiding me!" he shouted to the Wolf. "I have a favor to ask!" he took out his little necklace with Hidden Leaf`s symbol in it and threw it towards the Wolf. "Give this to San!"  
Then he pulled his ANBU mask down and turned to the left.  
After walking in the forest awhile, he saw human tracks. It seemed, like there had been many, many humans, maybe dozens but maybe hundreds and they headed towards the Snake-town.  
Quietly, covering his face with ANBU mask, Kakashi followed the trail. The footpath was rutted, the soft spring mud had dried in the first heat of the new season leaving casts of every shoe. Kakashi picked her way over with care, mindful of that injuring his arm would mean to the rest of his journey. The footpath flowed through the bluebells, the incline so gentle that Kakashi barely noticed that he was climbing a hill. His feet fell to the earth softly, each step barely audible beneath the early morning birdsong.  
Then, he was hearing voices and lay down, so he could see anything, but nobody could see him.  
What he saw, made him gasp. There was a fighting between Samurais and Orochimaru`s men. The Samurais charged from the green fields, wielding katanas and arrows. It seemed to Kakashi, that Orochimaru was about to retreat.  
Orochimaru`s voice yelled at his gunmen." Hold your fire! Let them closer!"  
The screaming Samurais were only a few feet from the defence line, then Orochimaru screamed."Fire!" Quickly after that a huge, purple-ish snake came out from nowhere.  
*So, this must be Manda Jiraya has told me about...*thought Kakashi, inching closer.  
A rattling sound sound fills the previously silent air. Kakashi`s eyes fell to the giant rattlesnake and his surroundings vanished from his mind. In that moment there was no past or future. Every capacity of Kakashi`s brain was focused on the reptile before him. Against the dry soil the sandy markings guard it from the casual eye, but he could see each scale burned on his retina. Steel green eyes took in his form, selecting possible places to bite; forked tongue savoured his scent. His body was a frozen coil in the hot sun, but how soon this statue can become something too fast to dodge. The rattle, so pale in the strong light, continues to vibrate. Kakashi could see why it works; his primitive brain was torn between keeping focus on the tail or the head. Finally his legs agreed to move, slowly, retreating...  
*Damn Orochimaru and his snakes,*he cursed silently, feeling his injured arm hurting again. He was now out from the forest that could hide him, on the top of the small mountain. Both the Samurais and Orochimaru were now able to see him, if they weren`t so occupied with destroying each other.  
There was no time to waste...  
"Raikiri!" and Kakashi cut the head of the rattlesnake off, it`s body fell to the ground with a loud thud.  
Orochimaru saw a man with long blond hair and a gas-mask slowly coming towards him and smiled. "Hello, Hanzō of the Salamander," he said calmly.  
"Aren`t you supposed to kill the boars and get the Shishi-gami?" asked Hanzō ,wiping blood off his shoulder."Besides, someone killed one of your snakes on the hill with ...Raikiri, I guess."  
"Raikiri? That was White Fang`s son," Orochimaru said grimly. Manda, who was coiled and resting next to Orochimaru, rose it`s huge head and hissed. Hanzō took two steps back.  
"Seems to me, that you aren`t immune to everything,"grinned the Sannin.  
Then he looked up at Manda."Beautiful, isn`t he?"  
Mangetsu came running. "Sir... Now it`s no time to fight against Samurais... the boars are gathering in the forest..."he took a breath.  
Hanzō and Orochimaru shared a glance. "And of course you just forgot to tell me, that you also saw Kakashi, the son of the late White Fang of the Hidden Leaf?" he asked, stepping closer.  
"Kakashi?" asked Hanzō ," I`ve been here only about ten minutes and I hear this name second time. Why is he so important?"  
"He is my problem," explained Orochimaru. Then he turned towards Hanzō again, yellow snake-eyes narrowing. "Did you really hope, that I`ll just give my town to you?"  



	15. Raising Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How can Kakashi stop Orochimaru from killing the boar tribe? Or can he do it at all?

Kakashi felt the anger raising... his arm was now burning in pain... But he didn`t care. He had killed a giant snake of Orochimaru and now he had to stop the Sannin from luring the boar tribe into a trap.  
This time, brute strength wouldn`t help him. Kakashi had to use his brains.  
*I`m losing the control over the Curse...*realized Kakashi with fear,* My veins are bursting through, tentacles that live under my skin...*  
Anger took it`s hold, Kakashi was struggling between attacking the Snake-town blindly and going to find San and the boars. Orochimaru`s bite mark on his neck burnt as well, Kakashi fell to the ground on his knees.  
"Waking the demon!" slowly he stood up and looked at Hanzō of the Salamander, who had already ordered three of his best men to attack him.  
"Stop!" warned Kakashi, gripping his katana tightly in his right hand," There's no escape from this rage that I feel!" he felt his Curse pulsating again...  
No use, the Samurais just didn`t listen to him and came closer.  
" Possession taking over!" Kakashi made some quick hand-seals and charged towards the Samurais with Raikiri in left hand and katana in his right hand. It was a huge clash, a cloud of dust and sand covered the battle ground and when it fell down, Kakashi stood all alone, his attackers dead. Kakashi raised his head, pushed his ANBU mask up and searched for enemies. Hanzō was looking at him, eyes wide. This youngster was even more crazy, than Orochimaru or even Jiraya and Tsunade. What had made him like this?  
Kakashi slowly, mechanically came closer and closer to Hanzō, he was like possessed.  
*Anger is creeping in me!* he thought, fixing his eyes on the new target.  
Hanzō of the Salamander, seeing his men fall like flies decided, that the youngster really was dangerous. His only card now was his poisonous breath, but could it help? Hesitantly, he took his mask off.  
Kakashi was aware of his secret weapon. But he himself wasn`t sure, how would the Curse help him against Hanzō`s poison.  
"Do you wanna scream? Let it out 'cause no one can hear you..."mocked Hanzō, getting a grip on his scythe. He was sure now, that one hit and the White Fang`s son would be down.  
*I can almost taste you now.*Kakashi was now in front of his enemy, sword drawn. He was so close, that Hanzō could see his right arm and the Curse on it.  
*So...that`s the case,*he stepped back, feeling suddenly afraid. He didn`t want to get this Curse on himself, too.  
"Look, I don`t wanna fight you," he told to the silver-haired young man. "I am not your enemy..."  
"Stop begging for your mercy."Kakashi stepped closer, not sure if he really should destroy this man or not.  
"Can you feel the pain, the smell of fear surrounds you?"asked Hanzō, trying to bring Kakashi back to his mind. "Ibiki and the others are making some kind of a trap into the mountains..."  
Now, this was what stopped Kakashi. "What direction?" he asked, shaking his head.  
"Go to the North. I`ll keep Orochimaru inside!"  
"You`ll better keep your word." Kakashi turned around, with face to the North and quickly decided, that he needed his ninja-dogs.

Brown and stinking smoke was rising around the mountains. The humans appeared like small ants, preparing for the battle.  
"It stinks and burns my eyes,"San said, rising her hand to cover her nose.  
"That`s what they want,"Moro explained to her daughter,"they are trying to kill our sense of smell."  
San was trying to find the pale Snake-man, but he was nowhere. This was weird.  
"The Snake-man isn`t here,"she said.  
"The humans are still planning something,"Moro said, though not sure about what was going on. Why didn`t her enemy show up?  
"We have to find Okkoto while there is still time or else they`ll be killed!"  
"Okkoto is stubborn. He won`t listen to you. None of them will. It must be a real miracle to stop the boar tribe from attacking and running into the trap..."Moro sighed." The last one left alive will be still charging blindly forward."  
San approached her mother." This is good-bye. I have to go. Okkoto is blind, I`ll be his eyes."  
"Do as you must."Moro replied, nudging San with her nose. "You know, there is life for you with Kakashi."  
"I hate humans!" San stated, but un-sure in her mind.  
San saw Akio approaching her. She turned to face him and saw a necklace hanging between his teeth.  
"From Kakashi...to me?" she asked and took the thing. *No-one has ever given me things like this.* she thought, putting it around her neck.  
"Hideaki, Akio, you stay with San," Moro ordered, turning her head towards the Forbidden Forest,"I`ll go to the Forest Spirit."

They approached the herd of boars going through the forest. San and her brothers made their way through the herd, then San said"Moro`s tribe is fighting with you. Where can I find Lord Okkoto?"  
"In lead."one boar squealed, and San said "Thank you!"  
The wolves continued to make the way through the herd and to the front of the pack, where they found Okkoto.  
"Lord Okkoto, Moro`s tribe has came to help you. May I be your eyes?" San asked. She knew, that the old Boar-God was almost unable to see.  
"You have my thanks. Stay with me and lead me."came the answer. Suddenly they could hear weird sound, like barking.  
"What`s this?" asked San and then she told Okkoto to stop. All the boar tribe stood, nobody moved. Out of nowhere came eight dogs and a very familiar young man.  
"Dismissed!" commanded Kakashi and the dogs vanished with grey smoke.  
"What are you doing here?" asked San."Why did you come back?"  
"Because you all are heading into a deadly trap!" Kakashi came to stand in front of the great white boar. "Lord Okkoto!"  
"Oh, so you are here, young boy! Didn`t I tell you to leave this forest?"  
"Please, Lord Okkoto! Listen to me! We`ve got to head back into the forest!"  
"Silly boy. We must end this war once and for all!"  
"Look," Kakashi was getting a bit angry," Orochimaru is kept in his town and cannot leave. On the mountains, there is a trap."  
"I`ve told you before, no-one will stop this battle now."  
"The Snake-man is injured and he`s lost most of his men," Kakashi came closer, with caution."Their den is the town. If we want to push them out of this forest, we must attack the town."  
There was a long silence, then Okkoto seemed to agree. "All-right. Lead me then." He even allowed the youngster to sit on his back.  



	16. Attack to the Snake-town.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Boar tribe with San and Kakashi go to attack Orochimaru`s town. Is it any good?

"What are the boars doing?" asked Ibiki, turning his scarred face towards Mangetsu.  
"Seems to me,"Mangetsu responded,"that the boars are changing their course..." He saw something or someone sitting on the leading boar. Kakashi!  
"Damn! If they don`t step into our traps, we`re doomed."  
"Ibiki!" a young, grey-haired man with classes approached the duo."They`re heading to the Snake-town!"  
Gasps and worried comments were everywhere, but Ibiki mentioned everyone from silence. "That cursed boy! I know, it`s his doing..."  
"Kakashi?" asked Kabuto.  
"Yes. Let`s go back to town. We`re doing nothing here,this battle is lost." Ibiki yelled.  
*Oh my god,*thought Mangetsu, following his lead.*And Orochimaru is seriously wounded...*

Arrows flew through the sky above the Snake-town. Several of Hanzō`s battle tactics could be seen, he was keeping his word not to let Orochimaru out of the town. He thought even about to take the town for himself, because he felt like something scary was coming and he needed refuge. There had been numerous attempts to climb the walls or surround the city through the lake. Hanzō was focusing to the gates, because they were they strongest on the wall`s defense and there were riflemen.  
At first they didn`t care about the sounds coming from the forest. They thought, that it was coming from the fierce fight but now, the noise was slowly growing stronger and even these Samurais not busy fighting were turning their sight to the forest.  
Then the first boars erupted from the forest, leaving the Samurais at loss. Hanzō couldn`t believe his eyes, when he saw White Fang`s son Kakashi riding the great white boar and a girl on the wolf almost as big as the boar, following them. Trapped from the front and behind, most of the Samurais got killed, the few remaining men jumped into the lake. It was total chaos...  
"Kimimaro, come to see this!"  
"Oh my god, Jūgo! Protect the gates!"  
The alarm went through the town, also to Orochimaru`s bedroom.  
"What`s...going on?" the Sannin asked, when Jūgo stormed in. "What`s the noise about?"  
"Sorry, Orochimaru-sama, but the boars are coming!"  
Orochimaru, feverish and coughing blood, tried to get up, but failed."What? How?"  
Jūgo bite his lip."A silver-haired boy is leading them..."  
"What?!" Orochimaru tried again to stand, somehow he managed. "Help me to the watch tower..."  
When Orochimaru arrived with Jūgo`s help, the boars had sweeped off most of the Samurais, but they were fiercely blowing at the main gate. Stunned, Orochimaru saw on the distance a huge boar who, if left to have a try, could destroy the whole town.  
First he didn`t believe his eyes and had to blink them several times to be sure, what he was seeing. Jūgo wasn`t telling him a lie- there was definitely a young boy, wearing an ANBU mask, leading the great white boar. And the girl, who had tried to kill Orochimaru some days ago, was following them, riding a white huge wolf.  
"This is the end..."realized Orochimaru, closing his yellow eyes."They came to punish me for what I`ve done here."  
Okkoto was at the full speed to the main gate, when Kakashi ordered,"Stop!" Then he looked up and saw Orochimaru.  
Orochimaru gasped, when he saw the anger in the youngster`s eyes. But then, he throw a challenge to the boy. "Do you wanna kill me? Come on, here I am..."  
Everybody waited. Kakashi thought, whether he should simply jump over the wooden wall or use the help of the boar tribe...  
*There`s a strange pain, that haunts me, whenever Orochimaru is around...*Kakashi felt his bite mark burning, same about his right arm.  
"Kakashi Hatake, is something bothering you?" asked Orochimaru, trying to make him angry enough to attack.  
Kakashi felt Orochimaru`s evil chakra. He took defending position, waiting for the Sannin to strike.  
Kakashi flung a kunai at him, which Orochimaru caught with two fingers and then laughed. "I expected a better fight from you, Kakashi..." he said mockingly.  
Kakashi grimaced from pain and quickly jumped up to the wall, kicking a guard out of the balance. All he had to do was to fight Orochimaru and open the gate, but he couldn`t be in two places at the same time, though.  
"Honestly, Kakashi, I can be sick, but you alone are no real challenge." Orochimaru told him and furrowed his brow a bit, Kakashi`s eyes widened and suddenly he disappeared.  
"A shadow clone?" asked Kimimaro. "Where did he go?"  
A creaking sound made everyone look at the main gate. It was already too late to do anything, because Kakashi held the gate up, like he did the night when he left the Snake town with San.  
"Everyone, fall back!" Orochimaru yelled getting Kimimaro, Jūgo and all others to look at him. "You are so dead!" Orochimaru finished, throwing several kunai at Kakashi, two of them hitting the youngster`s thigh.  
San and Hideaki were about to attack Kimimaro, until they heard a scram of pain. They turned around and saw Orochimaru on the ground sobbing in pain, Kakashi standing over him. There was a terrifying silence around the fighters...  
Kakashi was about to turn away, but Orochimaru slowly stood up, his yellow eyes blazing with fury. Everybody watched as Orochimaru and Kakashi collided and the whole clearing exploded in dust, rocks and blood.  
When the dust faded, Orochimaru lay in the pool of blood, trying to get up. Kakashi was kneeling not far from him, right hand covered with demonic tentacles.  
"Kakashi!" San cried, rushing to the boy,"you`re hurt..."  
"San?" Kakashi asked, looking at the Wolf Girl. "Where is Moro?"  
Kakashi took a look around and saw, that it was the end of the Snake town. When he opened the gate, the boar tribe had overtaken it. The walls were down, the remaining people were together in one group, defending themselves against angry boars.  
San gently helped Kakashi to his feet.  
"We have lost," Kimimaro said, when he finished wrapping Orochimaru`s wounds.  



	17. To the Forest Spirit again. Farewell to Moro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yesterday I got the best comment from my friend. She told me, that whole story made her cry.

Kakashi and San were about to leave the destroyed Snake town with Akio and Hideaki, when they saw Okkoto approaching them.  
The great Boar God stood in front of Kakashi. " You have my thanks, young one...without you and San my tribe would be dead."  
Kakashi smiled and lifted his hand to touch Okkoto`s white fur. "I`m happy, that I could help. What will you do now?"  
The large Boar God suddenly lost his balance and collapsed, but after waiting a while, he stood up.  
Kakashi stepped closer, nervous. "My Lord Okkoto, are you okay?" he asked, checking if the great white boar had any injuries.  
"I`m just old and tired." the white boar stood up, surrounded by his warriors. "It`s time for us to leave this forest."  
Kakashi turned towards San and her wolf-brothers, "See, he isn`t so stubborn at all!"  
The big boar tribe made their way to the East, Okkoto leading them. Soon, their squealing was gone, too.  
Hideaki and Akio came to stand next to Kakashi and San. Without looking at the burning and broken Snake-town, San turned her head toward the Forbidden Forest.  
"Let`s go and find Mother!"  
It was almost midnight, when they entered the swamp, looking for Moro. Kodamas clicked all around and Kakashi felt like he was finally home. But San was tired, when she leaned against Kakashi.  
Cicadas buzzed in the trees below them, Hideaki and Akio followed close behind them, sniffing the air.  
There in the water was Moro, eyes closed and not moving. Kakashi and San rushed to the wounded Wolf God, who made no movement.  
"Mother,"San approached her slowly,"are you awake?"  
The white wolf opened slowly her eyes and lifted the head. "San? What happened to the Snake-town?"  
"It`s defeated!" San hugged the dying wolf, "and it`s all thanks to Kakashi and the boars!" she looked at the youngster, tears in her eyes.  
Kakashi stood there, not making a single movement. He saw, that Kodamas started to climb up to the tree tops, so the Shishi-gami was soon coming.  
"Mother, ask the Forest God to cure you..."San pleaded.  
Moro stood to her front paws and nudged her daughter. "It`s too late for me. But I am proud of you two, you saved the forest..."  
"No!" protested San weakly, but deep inside she knew, that Moro was right. Saying good-bye to someone you love, is always hard...  
"I`m not afraid of death,"spoke Moro slowly coming out of the water,"and I am happy, that you won`t be alone, when I`m gone..."  
San looked at Kakashi, who stood about ten meters away, looking at the Kodamas, who climbed up. *It`s so peaceful here...*  
"Come here, young one," called Moro weakly, "I want you to be here with my dear daughter, when it`s time for me to go..."  
Hesitantly, Kakashi came to stand next to the Wolf God. Hideaki and Akio approached also, laying down close to Moro.  
The tiny Kodamas were gathered on the tree tops. Waiting... They stared at the giant approaching.  
One Kodama rattled it`s head. After one second, the air was thick of the clicking. All around, thousands Kodamas answered the call, until the entire forest was clicking and rattling.  
The long tentacles of the Nightwalker shimmered in the rays of the rising sun. The strange creature bent towards the opening and submerged into the trees, sending powerful winds through the forest.  
The upper canopies shook violently. Below, on the island, Moro, San, Kakashi and San`s brothers were waiting.  
The wind carried down through the smallest tree on the island and a figure started to form. Kakashi watched in awe, not daring to move. He even didn`t blink...  
The figure looked now more and more like a deer and he came closer.   
"Farewell..."whispered Moro, when the Forest Spirit was right in front of her. Slowly, she closed her eyes. San hugged her tightly, tears in her eyes.  
The creature gazed at Kakashi, then turned and leaped away across the water.  
Strange, but Kakashi`s arm didn`t hurt any more, so he took a look at it. His eyes widened, as he saw, that the Curse mark was gone, only a small purple mark was in the middle of his hand.   
When the Forest Spirit was gone, Kakashi hugged San, simply to comfort her.   
"What are you going to do now?" asked the Wolf Girl.  
"I`d like to stay here with you and your brothers, if you don`t mind," the youngster answered. "The Snake town is no more."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, but the end came out somewhat short. I`m really bad at writing emotions...


End file.
